NOTYfIfm CCOfogy reminder anecosystemincludesalltheabioticfactorssuchasenergysoilatmosphereandwater2 for examaterrariummicrocosmdemonstratesthatmatterincludingwaterandnutrientsisrecycledinanecosystemwhileenergyJENERGY FLOW energyflowisthepassageofenergythroughthecomponentsoftheecosystemEnergyentersthetheterrariumintheformofsunlightyellowarrows Plantsproducersconvertlightenergytochemicalenergythroughtheprocessofphotosynthesis AnimalsconsumerstakeinsomeofthischemicalenergyintheformoforganiccompoundswhentheyfeedonthewastesandremainsofotherorganismsEveryuseofchemicalenergyinvolvesalossofsomeenergytothesurroundingsintheformofheatredarrows Energyisnotdestroyedbutitdissipatessothatitisnotavailabletodowork BcsomuchoftheenergycapturedbyphotosynthesisislostasheatthisecosystemwouldrunoutofenergyifitwerenotpoweredbyacontinuousinflowofenergyfromthesunCHEMICALCYCLING chemicalcyclingistheuseandreuseofchemicalelementssuchascarbon nitrogenwithintheecosystemchemicalcyclingbluearrowsinvolvethetransferofmatterwiintheecosystemChemelementsarenotcreatedordestroyedTheyarecycledbetweentheabioticcomponentsoftheecosystem includingairwaterandsoilandthebioticcomponentsoftheecosystemthecommunityplantsacquiretheseelementsininorganicformfromtheairandsoilandusethemtoconstructorganicmoleculesAnimalslikethesnailconsumesomeoftheseorganicmoleculesDccomposersfeedingondeadplantandanimaltissueproduceCO2andmineralwastesreturningmostoftheelementstothesoilasthebyproductsofplantanimalmetabolism ifnutrientsarelostduetoerosionorbiocropsareremovedfromwheretheyareproduced nutrientsmaybecomelimitedenergy flow in ecosystemsSummary allorganismsrequireenergyforgrowthmaintenancereproductionandininsummaryenergyflowand manyspecieslocomotionchemicalcyclinginvolvethetransferofenergyandmatterthroughthetrophic primaryproduction energyflourlevelsoftheecosystemHoweverenergy ecologistscalltheamountormassoflivingorganicflowsthroughandultimatelyoutof materialinanecosystemthebiomassTherateatwhichanecosystem'secosystemswhereaschemicalsare producersconvertsolarenergytothechemicalenergyrecycledwithinandbetween storedinorganiccompoundsiscalledprimaryproductionTheecosystems primaryproductionoftheentirebiosphereisroughly165billiontonsofbiomassperyear OODWEBSdescribesthetrophicstructureofanecosystemAPEXPREDATORalsoknownasanalphapredatorsortoppredator isapredatoratthetopofafoodchainwithoutnaturalpredatorsApexpredatorsareusuallydefinedintermsoftrophicdynamicsmeaningthattheyoccupythehighesttrophiclevelsTERTIARYconsumer acarnivoreatthetopmostlevelinafoodchainthatfeedsonothercarnivoresananimalSECONDARYconsumers areorganismsthateatprimaryconsumers thatfeedsonlyonsecondaryconsumersIntherealworldforenergyTheycanbecarnivoresoromnivoresIntemperateregions theycaneatmanydifferentanimalsandevenplantssecondaryconsumerssuchasdogscatsmolesandbirdsorfoxesowls sometimesThismeansthattheycanactuallybecarnivorouswolvescrowsandhawks examplesthatobtaintheirenergyfrom oromnivorous i.ebirdsofpreybigcatsfoxessnakesprimaryconsumersbyscavengingPRIMARYCONSUMER anorganismthatfeedsonprimary producers organismscapableofcreatingsimplecarbohydratesproducersTheyareusuallyherbivoresthatfeedon suchasglucosefromgaseouscarbondioxideThisprocessofautotrophicplantswhichproducetheirownfoodthrough producingorganicmoleculesfrominorganiccarbonsourcesisphotosynthesis calledprimaryproductiononlandmostproducersareplantsProducersareanykindofgreenplantTheymaketheirfoodDEcomposers areorganismsthatbreakdowndeadordecaying foodbytakingsui.nlightandusingtheenergytomakesugarorganismstheycarryoutdecomposition aprocesspossiblebyonly theplantusesthissugarglucosetomakethingslikecertainkingdomssuchasfungiandbacteria interrestrialeco woodleavesroots barksystemsbeetletypeofShredderthateats digestsdetriusaearthwormmillipedeamushroomtypeoffungithatgrowsoutofthegroundorthedeadmaterialitsfeedingoffFungiarethemaindecomposersinmanyecosystemsparticularlyinforestsoneoftheirmainfunctionsistohelpreleasenitrogenphosphorousfromdeaddecayingmatter