IB Biology HL1

4.2 Energy Flow

Essential Idea: Ecosystems require a continuous supply of energy to fuel life
processes and to replace energy lost as heat

Nature of Science: Use theories to explain natural phenomena—the concept of

energy flow explains the limited length of food chains

Understandings, applications and skills

4.2.U1 Most ecosystems rely on a supply of energy from sunlight.
Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon compounds by
4.2.U2
photosynthesis.
Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through food chains by
means of feeding. [Pyramids of number and biomass are not required.
4.2.U3 Students should be clear that biomass in terrestrial ecosystems diminishes
with energy along food chains due to loss of carbon dioxide, water and
other waste products, such as urea.]
Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration is used in living
4.2.U4
organisms and converted to heat.
4.2.U5 Living organisms cannot convert heat to other forms of energy.
4.2.U6 Heat is lost from ecosystems.
Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of food chains and
the biomass of higher trophic levels. [The distinction between energy flow
in ecosystems and cycling of inorganic nutrients should be stressed.
4.2.U7
Students should understand that there is a continuous but variable supply
of energy in the form of sunlight but that the supply of nutrients in an
ecosystem is finite and limited.]
Quantitative representations of energy flow using pyramids of energy.
[Pyramids of energy should be drawn to scale and should be stepped, not
4.2.S1 triangular. The terms producer, first consumer and second consumer and
so on should be used, rather than first trophic level, second trophic level
and so on.]

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4.2 U1 Most ecosystems rely on a supply of energy from sunlight.
4.2 U2 Light energy is converted to chemical energy in carbon
compounds by photosynthesis

 Producers capture the sun’s light energy and convert it to chemical

energy in the process of photosynthesis

 Write the equation below:

 Biomass is the total dry mass of organisms within an area or volume

 Chemical energy is used to create _________________________________________

The stored energy in biomass is passed on when consumers feed

 Organisms in most ecosystems get their energy from the sun, though
consumers get it indirectly by feeding

4.2 U3 Chemical energy in carbon compounds flows through

food chains by means of feeding

A food chain shows a linear sequence of organisms, starting with a producer and
ending with a predator, that feed on each other.

 There are between 2-5 organisms in a food chain, but not more
 Arrows show the flow of energy between organisms.

Why aren’t there more organisms in a food chain?

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4.2 U4 Energy released from carbon compounds by respiration
is used in living organisms and converted to heat

 Cell respiration is the conversion of chemical energy into a form that cells
can use

 Write the equation below:

 Cell respiration releases heat when organic compounds are converted to

__________________________________

Where does the heat go?

4.2 U5 Living organisms cannot convert heat to other forms of

energy

Organisms can convert many types of energy:

 Light energy to ________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Chemical energy to ___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Chemical energy to ___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 Chemical energy to ___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

But once the energy becomes heat, organisms cannot convert it to any other
form of energy.

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4.2 U6 Heat is lost from ecosystems

 The heat generated by cell respiration is useful to organisms

 It makes ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals warmer, which allows them

to be more active
 It is used by endothermic (warm-blooded) animals to maintain a constant
body temperature in homeostasis

 Heat moves from warmer areas to colder areas, so the heat is lost to the
environment

 The heat in the ecosystem is eventually lost into space

4.2 U7 Energy losses between trophic levels restrict the length of

food chains and the biomass of higher trophic levels

 Trophic level: _________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

 When biomass is consumed, energy is transferred

 Energy transfers between trophic levels is inefficient

 Only about ________________________ of the energy available at one trophic

level is passed on to the next

Energy is lost:

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________________________________

Pyramids of Energy show the flow of energy between trophic

levels

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 Problem: The production of a rainforest is 2.56 X 105 KJm-2yr-1.
Construct a pyramid of energy, assuming that 10% of energy is passed
on to each trophic level

 Why are food chains and biomass limited by energy loss between trophic
levels?

 Outline how energy is passed through ecosystems. (6 marks)