Date: 15-11-21

Day: Monday

TERM 2
UNIT 2 : ENERGY IN ECOSYSTEMS
TOPIC TO BE DISCUSSED:
• GOOD THINGS? ☺
•RECALLING WHAT A FOOD WEB IS
•ENERGY PYRAMID!
•ENERGY PYRAMID FOR LAND FOOD CHAIN
•ENERGY PYRAMID FOR OCEAN FOOD CHAIN
•WHY DO WE STUDY THE ENERGY PYRAMID?
•WRAP UP.
A FOOD CHAIN AND A FOOD WEB?
 FOOD CHAIN:
A food chain refers to a series of organisms feeding on one
another
OR
A food chain is defined as the phenomenon of transfer of
energy through series of organisms falling on successive
trophic levels.

FOOD WEB:
A food web consists of interconnected food chains involving
many organisms.
OR
Food web is an interconnection of food chains which shows
relation between them.
 ENERGY PYRAMID

ENERGY ???

PYRAMID ???
ENERGY PYRAMID:
An energy pyramid (also called as the trophic pyramid or an ecological
pyramid) is a graphical representation, showing flow of energy at each trophic
level in an ecosystem.
•The width of the energy pyramid
shows the energy present in each
trophic level, observe that the height
is always the same.

•The flow of energy is from the

bottom to the top and the energy
gradually reduces as it is being used
by the organisms at each level.

•The base of the pyramid holds the

primary producers i.e. autotrophs,
these organisms prepare food by
taking energy from non living sources
(ex: plants prepare food with the
help of sunlight)

•Rest of the energy pyramid consists

of heterotrophs – organisms that
obtain nutrition from other plants or
animals.
 ENERGY PYRAMID FOR LAND FOOD CHAIN

•Plants (producers) get their

energy from sunlight and use
it to make food.

•Consumers get their food

from the producers.

•Energy is lost as it passes

from one trophic level to
the next.

•Note that there is less food

available at the top than at
the bottom of the pyramid.

•Conclusion: less food and

energy are available as we go
from the base to top of the
pyramid.
 ENERGY PYRAMID FOR OCEAN FOOD CHAIN

•In the oceans, algae are

the producers that make
food, with the help of
energy from the sun.

•Small fish and other

herbivores eat the algae,
other algae that are not
eaten get lost in the
ocean.

•Energy is used up before

going to the next trophic
level.

•Fewer animals at
successive trophic levels,
lesser energy.
 WHY DO WE STUDY THE ENERGY PYRAMID?

•How much energy has been lost from one level to the next in an energy
pyramid?
The pyramid shape is used to represent the flow of energy, the way the energy
is used up and lost throughout the system. According to scientists…

•Of the 100% energy

available to the plants
only about 10% is made
into plant tissues while
90% is used up and lost
as heat.

•Same thing happens at

each trophic level, 90%
is lost and 10% is
available.

•Apex predators get

about 0.01% of primary
energy
Some questions that Why do we call
you must be aware them Apex
predators?
of and able to
answer… Maximum levels in a food chain?

Is algae the lone

Trophic levels? producer in the
ocean?

Recycling elements?
Decomposers?

Define heterotrophs.
Define Ecosystem.