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ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• Introduction
• Types Of Living Organisms TEACHER
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The EARTH is made up of LOGO

Two Types Of Components.

TEACHER
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One type of components have life in them. LOGO

These are called as the

LIVING or BIOTIC COMPONENTS.
Plants

Animals

TEACHER
 Airof components do not have life in them.
The other type Light MT EDUCARE
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These are called as the

NON-LIVING or ABIOTIC COMPONENTS.

Water Soil

TEACHER
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These
We livingbreath
(Biotic) (Biotic)
inand non-living
oxygen (Abiotic)
(Abiotic) LOGO

are
andcontinuously interacting
give out carbon with each other.
dioxide (Abiotic).

The
Sunflower
lotus (Biotic)
(Biotic)
blooms
moveswhen
withthe
thesun’s
direction
rays of
(Abiotic)
sun (Abiotic).
fall on it.
Seeds (Biotic) germinate in soil (Abiotic).

TEACHER
 MT EDUCARE
The
TheEarth
Now let us itself
living is a very
understand
(Biotic), large
how ECOSYSTEM.
does
non-living this ecosystem
(Abiotic) and function. LOGO

their interactions are called as ECOSYSTEM.

ENERGY FLOW IN
AN ECOSYSTEM

TEACHER
 LIVING ORGANISMS MT EDUCARE
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PRODUCERS CONSUMERS SAPROPHYTES DECOMPOSERS

(Produce Food) (Consume Food) (Obtain food from (Obtain food by
dead and decaying decomposing the
ANIMALS matter) dead bodies of
plants and animals)
FUNGI
G
CO2
BACTERIA
G

G
G
G

TEACHER

GREEN PLANTS

H2O
 CONSUMERS MT EDUCARE
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PRIMARY SECONDARY APEX OR TOP OMNIVORES

Since consumers
CONSUMERS consume food
CONSUMERS from different sources
CONSUMERS
They are directly
let us know about their different types.
(Herbivores) dependent on autotrophs
(Carnivores) (Carnivores) (Mixed Consumers)
These consumers use
herbivores
These
Noconsumersas their
other animals food.on
use herbivores
feed
and carnivores
top consumers.
Feed as herbivores
on their food.
OWL and carnivores
FOX
SQUIRREL
TIGER
TEACHER

HUMANS
ELEPHANT EAGLE
BEAR
GRASSHOPPER
FROG LION
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ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• Food Chain
• Food Web TEACHER
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There
Let usare Primary
understand
continuous consumer
these
interactions
interactions
going
with
on
(Herbivore)
between
the the
helpmembers
of few examples.
of Ecosystem.
Apex consumer
(Carnivore)

TEACHER

Producers
(autotrophs) Decomposers
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Primary consumer
(Herbivore)

Apex consumer
(Omnivore)

TEACHER

Producers
(autotrophs)
Decomposers
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Secondary consumer
Primary consumer (Carnivore)
(Herbivore)

TEACHER

Producers Apex consumer

(autotrophs) Decomposers (Carnivore)
 FOOD CHAIN MT EDUCARE
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Secondary consumer
(Carnivore)

Primary consumer
(Herbivore)
This definite sequence is called as Food Chain.
There isall
In a Definite
INTERACTIONS
these GOSequence
examples in these
ON CONTINUOUSLY
Process of interactions.
Eating
between
producers,andconsumers
Being Eaten
andUp.
saprophytes.
Tertiary consumer
(Carnivore)
TEACHER

Producers Apex consumer

(autotrophs) Decomposers (Carnivore)
 FOOD CHAIN MT EDUCARE
LOGO

3 rd
Link
2nd
Link

1 st
Link
Every Level / Link in a food chain is
EveryEvery food chain
food chain has FourLevels
has Different or Five/ Links.
Links.
called as Trophic Level.

TEACHER

4
th
Link
 FOOD CHAIN MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Primary consumer
(Herbivore)
Apex consumer
(Carnivore)

Every
Trophic
Level Level
/ Linkisinthe
a food
step chain
at which
is
organism
called
obtains
as Trophic
its food
Level.
in the chain.

TEACHER

Producers
(autotrophs)
 FOOD CHAIN MT EDUCARE
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An organism may be Prey For Many Other Organisms.

For Example

Here, The Insect Becomes Part

Of Three Food Chains thus
forming an INTRICATE WEB.
TEACHER
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An Ecosystem can have Many Food Chains Interconnected

at various levels.

TEACHER
 FOOD WEB MT EDUCARE
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Fox

Leopard
Vulture

Bird
Beavers

Grasshopper

Squirrel TEACHER
Deer
Nuts
Grass Shrubs
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ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• Energy Flow In An Ecosystem
• Pyramid Of Energy TEACHER
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Organisms
TheatSun
Green any tropic
Plants oflevel
is the ecosystem
most store
Doimportant
Not Pass some
On All of to
The Energy
source
the of the
solar next
introphic
energy
energy in the
any level.
form of food.
ecosystem.

TEACHER
 MT EDUCARE
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Somelevel
At every Energy
Some is also Lost
Energy isIn
used by
Surrounding
organism for its as
OwnHeat Energy.
Life Processes.

METABOLISM

TEACHER

REPRODUCTION
GROWTH
 MT EDUCARE
Decomposers also dissipate some HEAT ENERGY LOST LOGO
amount of energy in the form of Heat.

HEAT ENERGY LOST

Top level
consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST

Tertiary
HEAT ENERGY LOST consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST
HEAT ENERGY LOST
Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
 Therefore,
The heat lostthe Energy Flow Never
in surrounding in a food chain
Goes Backis To The Sun. MT EDUCARE
LOGO
referred to as ‘ONE WAY’ TRANSPORT .

HEAT ENERGY LOST

Top level
consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST

Tertiary
HEAT ENERGY LOST consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST
HEAT ENERGY LOST
Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
 MT EDUCARE
Only 10% energy is passed on from LOGO

one trophic level to another.

HEAT ENERGY LOST

Top level
consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST

Tertiary
HEAT ENERGY LOST consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST
HEAT ENERGY LOST
Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
 PYRAMID OF PYRAMID
ECOLOGICAL ENERGY MT EDUCARE
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OMNIVORES / APEX 10 kcal

CARNIVORES
10%

100 kcal
CARNIVORES 10%

1000 kcal
10%
HERBIVORES

10,000 kcal
PRODUCERS TEACHER

If this is diagrammatically represented, A Pyramidal Figure is formed.

 PYRAMID OF ENERGY MT EDUCARE
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Let us consider An Aquatic Ecosystem

10 kcal
10% Humans

100 kcal
Fishes
10%

1000 kcal
Zooplanktons
10%
TEACHER
10,000 kcal
Phytoplanktons
 MT EDUCARE
Raymond Lindeman LOGO

In 1942 The Food Chain and Energy

TEACHER
Flow through it was studied by.
 MT EDUCARE
Charles Elton, a British scientist first proposed LOGO

the concept of Ecological Pyramid in 1927.

TEACHER

He studied
Hence, of
this
the
pyramid
TundraisEcosystem
also called
ofas
the
the
Beer
Eltonian
Islands
Pyramid.
in England.
 MT EDUCARE
Fromthe
Thus, here they
Flow Of are Again Absorbed
Nutrients By Plants
in a food chain is CYCLIC. LOGO
and incorporated
Fungi
These andDeath into
other
substances the food
Mix chain.
microorganisms
Easily Decomposers
with Air, Water and Soil.
After the Of Apex Consumers,

Top level
consumer

Tertiary
consumer

Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
convert them into Simple Carbon Compounds.
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LOGO

ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• Bio-geo-chemical Cycle
TEACHER
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The Energy Flow in a food chain is LOGO

referred to as ‘ONE WAY’ TRANSPORT .

HEAT ENERGY LOST

Top level
consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST

Tertiary
HEAT ENERGY LOST consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST
HEAT ENERGY LOST
Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
 MT EDUCARE
The Flow Of Nutrients in a food chain is CYCLIC. LOGO

Top level
consumer

Tertiary
consumer

Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
All organisms Need Nutrients for their Growth. MT EDUCARE
LOGO

TEACHER
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Nutrients necessary for the growth of organisms are
BIO-GEO-CHEMICALCYCLE LOGO
Continuously Transferred from Abiotic To Biotic Factors
The cyclical
and Biotic flowFactors
To Abiotic of nutrients
withinwithin an ecosystem,
an ecosystem.
CO2

TEACHER

H2 O
 Atmosphere MT EDUCARE
LOGO

The biosphereCycle
Bio-Geo-Chemical formed by Lithosphere,
Operates Continuously
Atmosphere
through and of
the medium Hydrosphere.
the Biosphere.

TEACHER

Lithosphere Hydrosphere
 Atmosphere MT EDUCARE
LOGO
C
In this process is a Complex Process.
O O

The Recycling of Biological, Geological of Chemical sources of nutrients,

O
N N
H H

TEACHER

O O
Lithosphere Hydrosphere
 MT EDUCARE
This Complex Process depends upon The LOGO

Level Of Energy Transfer in the ecosystem.

HEAT ENERGY LOST

Top level
consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST

Tertiary
HEAT ENERGY LOST consumer
HEAT ENERGY LOST
HEAT ENERGY LOST
Secondary
consumer TEACHER

Primary consumer
Producers
 MT EDUCARE
Types of bio-geo-chemical cycles LOGO

GASEOUS CYCLE SEDIMENTARY CYCLE

An accumulation of the
An accumulation of the main
main abiotic gaseous nutrient
abiotic gaseous nutrient
materials is found in soil,
materials is found in the
sediment and sedimentary
earth’s atmosphere.
rocks, etc. of the earth.

TEACHER
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Types of bio-geo-chemical cycles LOGO

GASEOUS CYCLE SEDIMENTARY CYCLE

Includes Nitrogen, Includes soil components

Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, like Iron, Calcium,
Water Vapour, etc. Phosphorus, etc.

TEACHER
CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION MT EDUCARE
LOGO

ForGaseous
The example,Cycle
if COis2 has accumulated
a Speedier Cycleinthan
an area, it is
the sedimentation cycle.
quickly dispersed with the wind or absorbed by plants.

TEACHER

+ +
Climatic Changes and Human Activities MT EDUCARE
LOGO
seriously affect the Speed, Intensity and Equilibrium of these cycles.

TEACHER
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ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• The Carbon Cycle
TEACHER
THE CARBON CYCLE MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Carbon is found in various forms on the Earth.

It occurs in the elemental form as Diamonds, Graphite, Coal, Limestone and Granite.

TEACHER
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In the combined state, it is found as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

C
C o o
o o

C
o o

TEACHER
THE CARBON CYCLE MT EDUCARE
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Carbon is used to produce

CARBOHYDRATES PROTEINS FATS

TEACHER
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Carbon entersofthe
In the body plants
plants in thedioxide
carbon form ofis carbon dioxide
converted LOGO
SUN through photosynthesis in the presence of sunlight
into glucose(carbohydrates)
CO2
Carbohydrates

Photosynthesis

TEACHER

+ + +
During respirationWhen
carbohydrates
the plantsare
arebroken down
eaten by to produce
animals
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LOGO
energy andcarbohydrates
carbon dioxide is released
enters back
the body of into the
animals.
atmosphere.

Respiration

CO2

+ + + TEACHER
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When plants and animals die, they are decomposed
by bacteria and fungiWhen
and these
Also, carbon dioxide
deadfossils
plants isanimals
andare
fuels in heating
burnt for the soil,
released in atmosphere.
arecooking , transportation
converted into fossilsand industrial
fuels like coal,
processes carbonand
petroleum dioxide is released
natural gas. into
atmosphere.
Fossils fuel

Decomposition

C C
o o o o
TEACHER
 The circulation and the recycling of carbon MT EDUCARE
LOGO
CO2
SUN

Is called as CARBON CYCLE.

fromafter
and the atmosphere to thetoliving
their death, back organisms
the atmosphere

TEACHER
CO2
 MT EDUCARE
LOGO

50

40

30

20
TEACHER10

Earth
The
This
and releases receives
earth’s
helps
some energy energy
to surface
maintain from
backabsorbs
tothe the
somesun.
of this
thetemperature
atmosphere assolar
of the energy,
earth.
infrared radiation.
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LOGO

50

40

30

20
TEACHER 10

Carbon
This willdioxide
lead totraps the heat
GLOBAL rays reflected by the earth.
WARMING.
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ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• The Oxygen Cycle
TEACHER
THE OXYGEN CYCLE MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Oxygen is a very abundant element on our Earth.

21% oxygen

It is found in the elemental form in the atmosphere to the extent of 21%.

TEACHER
THE OXYGEN CYCLE MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Oxygen is used to produce

CARBOHYDRATES PROTEINS FATS

TEACHER
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In the biosphere it is found as molecular Oxygen, Water, Carbon Dioxide,

Oxygen is highly reacted and it readily reacts with other elements and compounds.
inorganic compounds etc.

C O O
o o
O O

O O

C O TEACHER
o o H H

O2 CO2 H2O
 MT EDUCARE
O2 LOGO

Oxygen from the atmosphere is used up in three

O2 processes, namely
O2 Respiration respiration, combustion
O2 Rusting/Corrosion, Decomposition, etc.
O2
O2
Decomposition
Combustion

Rusting/Corrosion
TEACHER
 MT EDUCARE
LOGO
Photosynthesis
SUN

O2 The Circulation and

Oxygen is Recycling
returned of oxygen
to the within
atmosphere in
O2 the biosphere
only is
onecalled
majortheprocess,
Oxygenthat
Cycle.
is,
O2 photosynthesis.
O2
O2

Respiration Decomposition

Combustion

Rusting/Corrosion
TEACHER
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LOGO

ENERGY FLOW IN AN
ECOSYSTEM
• The Nitrogen Cycle
TEACHER
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NITROGEN CYCLE LOGO

Our atmosphere has 78% Nitrogen Gas.

Nitrogen is one of the essential78%

Nitrogen constituents
Nitrogen of
Proteins, Nucleic
Proteins Acids(DNA
Acids
Nucleic (DNAand
andRNA).
RNA)

As compared to other elements, nitrogen is

inactive and does not easily combine with other
elements. TEACHER
 N2
N2 N2
MT EDUCARE
NITROGEN CYCLE LOGO

So now
The we
N2

Atmospheric
have to TRAP
Nitrogen
thisCannot
N2
Be Taken
atmospheric
N2 Directly by
nitrogen and
plants and
Bring It In
animals.
The Soil.

TEACHER

NITROGEN FIXATION
 Atmospheric ProcessNITROGEN FIXATION MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Nitric Acid
HNO3
DURING LIGHTNING
NO Oxides of Nitrogen
Atmospheric Process Industrial Process Biological Process
N2 O2

TEACHER
NO2 NO3 NO2 NO3
Nitrites and Nitrates
NO2 NO3
+ ALKALINO 2
NO3
Industrial Process MT EDUCARE
LOGO

In Industries, atmospheric nitrogen is of converted into nitrates.

N N N N FERTILIZERS

N N

NO2 NO3
NO2 NO3 TEACHER
NO2 NO3
 Biological Process MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Rhizobium lives in the Root Nodules of Leguminous Plants.

TEACHER
NITROGEN FIXATION MT EDUCARE
LOGO

This Rizhobium bacteria fix Nitrogen From The Atmosphere and

This is called Biological Nitrogen Fixation.
Convert It Into Nitrates.

N N N N N N

TEACHER
NO2 NO3
NO2 NO3 NO2 NO3
 MT EDUCARE
LOGO

These nitrites and nitrates are taken up by Plants From The Soil.

TEACHER
NO2 NO3
NO2 NO3
NO2 NO3
 MT EDUCARE
LOGO

Herbivores
Plants are eaten
are eaten
And Converted by CARNIVORES
by HERBIVORES
into PROTEINS

NO2

NO2 NO3

NO3 NO3

NO3

TEACHER
AMMONIFICATION
NITRIFICATION MT EDUCARE
LOGO

TheirInBODY
the soil
When
Their there
deadplants
PROTEINS are
areand
bodies animals
NITRIFYING
are
broken DIE,AMMONIA.
BACTERIA
DECOMPOSED
down into .

AMMONIA NITRITE NITRATE

NH3 NH3 NH3

NH3

TEACHER

NO32 NO32 NO32 NO32 NO32 NO32

 DENITRIFICATION MT EDUCARE
LOGO

The Circulation andInRecycling

soil there
of are DENITRIFYING BACTERIA
nitrogen gas into the form of different compounds
through various Biotic NITRATE
and Abiotic Processes in nature is called the nitrogen cycle.
Free NITROGEN

TEACHER

NN N
N
N N NO3 NO3 NO3 NO N N NO3 NO3
N 3
N N N