Ecosystem Food Chains

Ecosystem

Food Chains

• A series of organisms that eat other organisms, with each level being consumed by the next
• Energy flows from one level to the next, with some energy being lost as heat
• Typically consists of:
  • Producers (plants, algae): convert sunlight into energy
  • Primary consumers (herbivores): eat producers
  • Secondary consumers (carnivores): eat primary consumers
  • Tertiary consumers (top predators): eat secondary consumers
  • Decomposers (bacteria, fungi): break down dead organisms

Ecological Balance

• The delicate balance between the different components of an ecosystem
• Maintained through:
  • Predation: regulates population sizes
  • Competition: limits resource availability
  • Symbiosis: mutually beneficial relationships
  • Adaptation: species evolve to fit their environment
• Imbalance can lead to:
  • Population explosions or crashes
  • Extinction
  • Disruption of nutrient cycles

Biotic Components

• Living organisms that make up an ecosystem
• Includes:
  • Producers (plants, algae)
  • Consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores)
  • Decomposers (bacteria, fungi)
  • Microorganisms (bacteria, viruses)

Abiotic Components

• Non-living factors that affect an ecosystem
• Includes:
  • Light
  • Temperature
  • Water
  • Soil
  • Air
  • Nutrients
  • pH

Different Ecosystems

• Terrestrial ecosystems:
  • Forests
  • Grasslands
  • Deserts
  • Tundras
• Freshwater ecosystems:
  • Rivers
  • Lakes
  • Wetlands
  • Ponds
• Marine ecosystems:
  • Coral reefs
  • Estuaries
  • Open ocean
  • Deep-sea trenches
• Artificial ecosystems:
  • Agricultural systems
  • Urban ecosystems
  • Landfills
  • Sewage systems

Ecosystem

Food Chains

• A sequence of organisms that eat other organisms, with each level being consumed by the next, and energy flowing from one level to the next, losing some as heat
• Typically consists of producers (plants, algae), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), tertiary consumers (top predators), and decomposers (bacteria, fungi)
• Producers convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis
• Primary consumers eat producers, secondary consumers eat primary consumers, and tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers
• Decomposers break down dead organisms, recycling nutrients

Ecological Balance

• Delicate balance between ecosystem components, maintained through predation, competition, symbiosis, and adaptation
• Predation regulates population sizes, competition limits resource availability, symbiosis provides mutual benefits, and adaptation helps species fit their environment
• Imbalance leads to population explosions or crashes, extinction, and disruption of nutrient cycles

Ecosystem Components

Biotic Components

• Living organisms, including producers (plants, algae), consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores), decomposers (bacteria, fungi), and microorganisms (bacteria, viruses)

Abiotic Components

• Non-living factors, including light, temperature, water, soil, air, nutrients, and pH

Ecosystem Types

• Terrestrial ecosystems: forests, grasslands, deserts, tundras
• Freshwater ecosystems: rivers, lakes, wetlands, ponds
• Marine ecosystems: coral reefs, estuaries, open ocean, deep-sea trenches
• Artificial ecosystems: agricultural systems, urban ecosystems, landfills, sewage systems