Bioenergetics

Energy Flow
• Matter is transferred over
time from one organism to
another in the food web.
• Energy also flows
between organisms & the
physical environment.
• Photosynthesis and
chemosynthesis.
 Sunlight
• The sun provides the
main energy source
for life on Earth.
• Less than 1% of the
sunlight that reaches
Earth is used by living
things to create
energy.
 Photosynthesis
• Autotrophs capture solar
energy to power
chemical reactions.
• Autotrophs are
organisms that use
energy they take from the
environment to convert
inorganic molecules to
complex organic
molecules.
 Photosynthetic
Organisms
• Plants
• Algae
• Photosynthetic
bacteria
• Phytoplankton: found
in high densities in
cold oceans
• Seaweeds and
Seagrass
 Consumers/Heterotrophs
• Organisms that
capture energy by
consuming other
organisms.
• Cannot harness
sun’s energy.
• Animals, fungi and
other types of
bacteria.
 Heterotrophs
• Herbivores- eat plants
• Carnivores- eat animals
• Omnivores- eat both
plants & animals.
• Detrivores- feed on
animal remains and other
dead matter. (mites,
snails, crabs)
• Decomposers- break
down organic matter.
(fungi, bacteria)
 Food Chains
• Energy flows
through an
ecosystem in one
direction.
• From the sun or
inorganic
compounds to
autotrophs and
then to various
heterotrophs.
 Energy in Food Chains
• At each link in the
food chain, energy is
stored in newly made
structures but much
energy is dissipated
into the environment
as heat.
• Where does the
original source of
energy come from?
Food Webs
• When the
feeding
relationships
become more
complex due to
a network of
interactions,
ecologists
describe it as a
food web.
 Food Webs
• Food webs are complex
because some animals
can eat a variety of
foods.
• A Killer Whale can eat
penguins, and squid or
fish that the penguins
usually eat. They can
also eat leopard seals
that usually prey upon
penguins.
 Energy Pyramids
• Diagram which shows
the relative amount of
energy or matter
contained within each
trophic level.
• Energy is lost as it is
transferred from the
organisms being
eaten to the
organisms doing the
eating.
 Review
1. Distinguish between autotrophs and
heterotrophs. Give an example of each.
2. Which organism is always found at the
bottom of the food chain or food web?
3. Describe how energy flows among
organisms in an ecosystem.
4. What proportion of energy is transferred
from one trophic level to the next in an
ecosystem?