1. ENERGY FLOW Energy is never created or destroyed! It is converted from one form to another.

2. Producers -photosynthesis OR chemosynthesis -plants, algae, certain bacteria Consumers Herbivore – eats only producers Carnivore – eats only other consumers Omnivore – eats both producers and consumers Decomposers -break down organic waste -bacteria, fungi, earthworms, insects, vultures

3. Plants and other autotrophs are called producers because they convert inorganic material to organic compounds Photosynthesis: But, the term producer is misleading

4. Some students think that plants are doing this solely for animals to use the products. NO! Plants produce organic compounds for themselves !!!

5. Plants only do photosynthesis and animals do cell respiration. Then how do plants “produce” for the ecosystem? First, plants usually release more oxygen than they consume in respiration. Second, consumers feed on the producers, taking some of the organic compounds into their own body.

6. The Food Chain Each level is called a trophic level -troph = eat

7. Food Web – interconnected and branching food chains

8. Energy Pyramid - only 10% of energy in a trophic level can be used by the next trophic level

9. The term “producers” is used to describe autotrophs in an ecosystem. In your own words, write a paragraph explaining why this term can be misleading. Then, using this picture, include a description of how energy flows through an ecosystem. MISS BAKER’S CONCEPT CHECK