Energy flows through ecosystems in food chains and webs. Producers like plants use sunlight to make sugars that are then consumed by primary consumers, which are eaten by secondary consumers, and decomposers break down dead organisms. This transfer of energy is inefficient, so the amount of available energy decreases at each trophic level depicted in an energy pyramid. Disruptions at different levels can impact organisms throughout the entire food chain or web.

1. 14.3 Energy flows through ecosystems
Vocabulary: producer, consumer, decompose, food chain, food web, energy pyramid
Review
1. Producers make sugars using sunlight. Consumers eat other consumers and producers.
Decomposers break down dead producers and consumers.
2. Food webs show that one organism can have more than one role in an ecosystem.
3. Available energy decreases.
4. Drawing of food chain with each organism labeled.
5. Secondary consumers would disappear without having muskrats to eat. Producers would get
more plentiful without the muskrats eating them.