Test Your Knowledge on Energy Flow and Predator-Prey Cycles in Ecosystems

Energy Flow in Ecosystems and Predator-Prey Cycles

• Food chains show the transfer of energy in an ecosystem by indicating what organisms eat what.
• Producers, such as green plants, use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into glucose and biomass.
• Primary consumers are the first consumers in the food chain and eat producers, such as mice.
• Secondary consumers are the second consumers in the food chain and feed on primary consumers, such as owls.
• Tertiary consumers are the third consumers in the food chain and eat secondary consumers.
• Energy is lost as it moves up the food chain, with only a fraction of the original energy reaching higher levels.
• Arrows in food chains indicate the flow of energy and should be drawn in the opposite direction of the energy flow.
• Predator-prey cycles show the relationship between predator and prey populations over time.
• Predator-prey cycles are out of phase, with the predator population lagging behind the prey population.
• As prey populations increase, predator populations will also increase due to the abundance of food.
• When predator populations become too high, prey populations will decline, leading to a decrease in predator populations.
• Predator-prey cycles occur due to the time it takes for populations to increase or decrease, preventing a steady equilibrium.