Energy Flow

1
Energy Flow
Within a Marine Community
2
Table of Contents

• Background Information
• Types of Organisms
• Food Chains
• Food Webs
• Food for Thought
• Web Resources

3
Background

• The basis of the study of ecology are
  interactions between organisms with other
  organisms and with their physical environment.
• Every ecosystem is composed of numerous food
  chains and food webs.
• All organisms on earth survive through a transfer
  of energy by participating in a food chain and
  food web.
• The marine ecosystem has perhaps the most
  intricate and complex food chains and web system.
• Back to Table of Contents

4
Types of Organisms

• Producers Organisms that make their own food
  through photosynthesis.
• Consumers Organisms that eat other organisms.
• Consumer Levels Primary,Secondary,Tertiary
• 3 Types Herbivore-eats only producers
• Carnivore-eats only consumers
• Omnivore-eats both producers
  consumers
• Decomposers Organisms that eat dead plants and
  animals, as well as animal wastes (occurs on all
  levels). Ex Bacteria,Scavengers
• Back to Table of Contents

5
What is a Food Chain?

• Describes a group of organisms within an
  ecosystem, each of which is dependent on another
  for food and the transfer of energy.

6
Food Chain Example
Consumers
Sea grass
Loggerhead Turtle
Producer
Hammerhead shark
NoteArrows indicate direction of food (energy)
flow.
Table of Contents
7
What is a Food Web?

• A collage of interrelated food chains in an
  ecosystem that outline the feeding relationships
  between various plants and animals.

8
Food Web Example
DECOMPOSERS
Throughout web
Loggerhead Turtle
Black tip Reef Shark
CONSUMERS
Barracuda
Reef Fish
Barrel Sponge
Manatee
PRODUCERS
Table of Contents
Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
9
Food For Thought

• Would humans fit into a food web? Where?
• What would happen if one or more of the organisms
  were removed in a food web?
• Can you create your own marine food web?

10
Continuing Education with Web Resources

• Food Webs and Challenges of the Marine
  Communities
• Marine Food Webs in the Galapagos

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11
Works Cited

• www.pass.leon.K12.fl.us
• www.oceansoasis.org
• Images from www.goggle.com