Energy flow in the ecosystem, Science

Assignment Help:

Energy Flow in the Ecosystem

The principal source of  energy for any ecosystem is sunlight. All food materials that we or other animals consume are manufactured directly or indirectly by plants. Think of your breakfast, bread  is made of a cereal that  is produced from plant material, egg from hen which has fed on plant products; and milk from cow which has consumed grass or fodder derived from plants. In a nutshell, the energy that we obtain from plants either by  burning wood or by  eating them, represents the solar energy trapped by  the plants. We are dependent on the stored resources of solar energy. When we eat meat, we obtain energy that had been stored by plants several years before and then  taken up by an  animal like a goat through grazing. When we cut firewood for fuel, we obtain energy accumulated and stored by trees for perhaps a century or more. When we bum coal or petroleum, we obtain solar energy stored by  plant life, millions of years ago. Now  let us  trace the energy flow through an ecosystem. This is represented diagramatically in Fig.  

 

1349_Energy Flow in the Ecosystem.png

Notice that the energy from the producer to the last level has decreased considerably. The energy passed on to the next trophic level is represented by  letter E of  three different sizes, each by  its size indicates the comparative  amount of  energy. The arrows in the upper half of the diagram indicate  the loss of energy in the form of heat given out by different organisms. The arrows in the lower half  show the energy loss via the wastes secreted and energy trapped in dead bodies of  the organisms. Decomposers use these wastes and dead bodies as sources of  food and derive energy from them. They also give out some unused heat energy. Energy flowing through an ecosystem is thus first captured by  the producers. From the producers the energy passes to various consumers, via food. At  the end of the chain we  find that very  little energy is left for the last trophic level, because some energy is always lost in going from one level to the next. This loss of energy limits the number of trophic levelsin the ecosystem,  and so they are seldom more than five. This also clearly shows  that why  the steps  in a food chain are limited to four or five.  


Related Discussions:- Energy flow in the ecosystem

Matter and Energy, Using what you know about the energy—matter relationship...

Using what you know about the energy—matter relationship, explain why the ecosystems with the greater amount of overall energy tend to have a greater number of organisms.

Explain the role of cholecystokinin, Explain the Role of cholecystokinin ...

Explain the Role of cholecystokinin Pancreozymin (CCK-PZ): The presence of food in the upper small intestine also causes another hormone, CCK-PZ to be released. It is a polypep

Solar energy, Solar energy: The energy we get today from the fossil f...

Solar energy: The energy we get today from the fossil fuels like coal, is in reality sun's energy,  trapped in them millions of years ago. Plants make their food and grow bec

Sterilizing water by boiling, Sterilizing water by boiling The presence...

Sterilizing water by boiling The presence of tiny living plants and animals makes water inappropriate for drinking. Such forms of life can only be seen by a microscope. We can

Method for all other wastes, For all other wastes i) Burial The spil...

For all other wastes i) Burial The spillage could be buried using any of the following methods: The spillage could be mixed with sand and buried deep. Examples: Iodine

Explain scurvy, Scurvy  Disease occurs due to vitamin C deficiency.

Scurvy  Disease occurs due to vitamin C deficiency.

The effect of petrol on surface tension, The effect of petrol on surface te...

The effect of petrol on surface tension Being sure that the plate is has to be clean. It is wise to rinse the plate in cold water for a time before filling it. Instead of soap,

Ptolemaic system, The Ptolemaic System: The theoretical n'mdel of the u...

The Ptolemaic System: The theoretical n'mdel of the universe given by the Greeks had a stationary Earth at its centre, around which the Sun, the Moon and the planets moved in c

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd