Assignment on

Pattern of flow of energy through the ecosystem and food

chains

Course Title: Ecology

Course Code: ESE-2105
Date of Submission: 19-09-2024

Submitted To Submitted By
Md. Rakibul Hassan Rafsan Iqbal
Assistant Professor & Head of the Roll: 22103421
Department, Reg: 10912
Department of Environmental Science and Session: 2021-22
Engineering
2nd year 1st Semester
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam University
Department of Environmental Science and
Engineering

Dept. of Environmental Science and

Engineering
Jatiya Kabi Kazi Nazrul Islam
University
Trishal, Mymensingh
 Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction to Energy Flow in Ecosystems ............................................................................... 1
Ecosystems, Food Chains, and Food Webs ................................................................................ 1
Ecosystem ............................................................................................................................... 1
Food Chains: A Linear Flow of Energy .................................................................................. 1
Food Webs: A More Complex Reality ................................................................................... 2
Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 2
Fundamentals of Energy Flow ........................................................................................................ 3
Source of Energy Flow: .............................................................................................................. 3
Energy Transfer Efficiency ......................................................................................................... 3
Laws of Thermodynamics in Ecosystem .................................................................................... 3
What is the Direction of Energy Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem? .......................................... 4
Mechanism of Energy Flow in Ecosystem ................................................................................. 4
Trophic Levels ................................................................................................................................ 5
Relation Between Trophic Level and Energy Flow .................................................................... 6
Energy Pyramid .......................................................................................................................... 7
Structure of the Energy Pyramid............................................................................................. 7
Key Characteristics of the Energy Pyramid ............................................................................ 8
Importance of the Energy Pyramid ......................................................................................... 8
Food Chain ...................................................................................................................................... 9
Definition .................................................................................................................................... 9
Major Parts .................................................................................................................................. 9
Types of Food Chain ................................................................................................................. 10
Food Web ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Importance of Energy Flow .......................................................................................................... 11
Impacts of Energy losses .......................................................................................................... 11
Biogeochemical Cycle and Energy Flow ...................................................................................... 12
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................... 14
Reference ...................................................................................................................................... 15
 List of Figures
Figure 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystem .............................................................................................. 2
Figure 2: Photosynthesis ................................................................................................................. 3
Figure 3: Mechanism of Energy Flow ............................................................................................ 4
Figure 4: Trophic Levels ................................................................................................................. 5
Figure 5: Structure of Energy Pyramid ........................................................................................... 7
Figure 6: Food Chain ...................................................................................................................... 9
Figure 7: Types of Food Chain ..................................................................................................... 10
Figure 8:; Food Web ..................................................................................................................... 10
Figure 9: Impacts of Energy losses ............................................................................................... 11
 Introduction
Introduction to Energy Flow in Ecosystems
Energy flow is a fundamental concept in ecology that describes how energy is transferred and
transformed within an ecosystem. It begins with the sun, which is the primary source of energy for
most ecosystems on Earth. Through the process of photosynthesis, primary producers—such as
plants, algae, and certain bacteria—convert solar energy into chemical energy, forming the base
of the food web. The significance of energy flow lies in its role in sustaining life. It drives
biological processes, including growth, reproduction, and metabolism, and influences the
interactions between different organisms. As energy moves through various trophic levels—
starting from primary producers to herbivores (primary consumers), then to carnivores (secondary
and tertiary consumers), and finally to decomposers—the amount of energy available decreases
due to inefficiencies in energy transfer (often quantified as the 10% rule). Understanding energy
flow helps illustrate the interconnectedness of organisms within ecosystems and underscores the
importance of biodiversity. Healthy ecosystems rely on balanced energy flow to maintain stability,
resilience, and overall ecological health. Disruptions in this flow, caused by factors such as habitat
loss, pollution, and climate change, can have profound impacts on species interactions and
ecosystem functionality. In summary, the study of energy flow in ecosystems provides insights
into how energy sustains life, the dynamics of ecological interactions, and the importance of
conserving ecological integrity for the future.

Ecosystems, Food Chains, and Food Webs

Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a community of living organisms, along with their physical environment,
interacting as a unit. It encompasses a wide range of environments, from deserts and forests to
oceans and freshwater bodies. Ecosystems are characterized by their unique biotic (living) and
abiotic (non-living) components.
• Biotic Components: These include plants, animals, microorganisms, and decomposers.
• Abiotic Components: These include sunlight, water, temperature, soil, and air.
Food Chains: A Linear Flow of Energy

A food chain is a simplified linear model that shows the transfer of energy from one organism to
another within an ecosystem. It represents a single pathway through which energy flows, starting
from producers (usually plants) and moving to consumers (animals).

• Producers: These are organisms that can capture energy from sunlight (like plants) or
inorganic sources (like bacteria) and convert it into organic matter.
• Consumers: These are organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms. They
are classified into primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores that
eat herbivores), tertiary consumers (carnivores that eat other carnivores), and so on.

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 • Decomposers: These are organisms that break down dead organisms and waste products,
returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Food Webs: A More Complex Reality

While food chains provide a basic understanding of energy flow, they are often oversimplified. In
reality, ecosystems are more complex and involve interconnected food chains, forming a food web.
A food web shows the multiple feeding relationships that exist between organisms in an ecosystem.
• Interconnected Food Chains: Food webs illustrate how various organisms can be part of
multiple food chains, making the ecosystem more resilient to disturbances.
• Complex Interactions: Food webs account for the complex interactions between predators
and prey, as well as competition for resources.
• Stability: A more complex food web is generally considered more stable than a simpler
one, as it can better withstand changes in the ecosystem.
In short, ecosystems are intricate systems where living organisms interact with their environment.
Food chains and food webs provide simplified models to understand the flow of energy through
these ecosystems. While food chains offer a linear perspective, food webs depict the more complex
and interconnected nature of feeding relationships.

Objectives
• To understand the role of producers in capturing solar energy.
• To analyze the different trophic levels in a food chain and their energy requirements.
• To investigate the factors that influence energy transfer efficiency between trophic levels.
• To evaluate the impact of energy loss on ecosystem structure and function.

Figure 1: Energy Flow in Ecosystem

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 Fundamentals of Energy Flow
Source of Energy Flow:
The energy flow in the ecosystem is one of the major
factors that support the survival of such a great number
of organisms. For almost all organisms on earth, the
primary source of energy is solar energy. It is amusing
to find that we receive less than 50 per cent of the sun’s
effective radiation on earth. When we say effective
radiation, we mean the radiation, which can be used by
plants to carry out photosynthesis.
Green plants make their own food using materials from
non-living environment. Main source of energy is sun.
Only 2% of the light and heat energy is absorbed by Figure 2: Photosynthesis
plants in the preparing of photosynthesis. Along with
the energy plants use water and carbon dioxide, from the air to produce the food. The food that
plants produce is sugar and starches. Plants also produce oxygen. This food is then consumed by
the primary consumers and then the energy started to flow from primary producer to a food chain.
In the plants, the energy is stored in various organic products and passed on to the primary
consumers in the food chain when the herbivores consume (primary consumers) the plants as food.
Then conversion of chemical energy stored in plant products into kinetic energy occurs,
degradation of energy will occur through its conversion into heat.

Energy Transfer Efficiency

Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient; typically, only about 10% of energy is passed
from one level to the next. This phenomenon, known as the 10% rule, leads to decreasing energy
availability at higher trophic levels.
Elaborately, when the energy getting passed along from one place to another within an ecosystem,
organisms are sustaining each other in general sense but not in particularly efficient way.
In fact, when energy transfer from one place to another a plant to bunny or bunny to snack, the
vast majority of the energy is lost along the way.
Only the one calories of food are left over as actual consumer stuff. Then only 10% of energy is
converted into actual secondary consumer stuff. This rule is known as 10 percent law of energy.

Laws of Thermodynamics in Ecosystem

The energy flow in an ecosystem is governed by the first two laws of thermodynamics. These two
laws are explained as follows;

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 • First Law of thermodynamics: It states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed,
but it keeps changing from one form to the other. Similarly in an ecosystem, the main
source of energy is the sun, and this energy from the sun is transferred from one level to
the other.
• Second Law of thermodynamics: It states that when energy transforms from one form to
another, some part of it is lost as heat to the surroundings. Thus, the energy at one level is
never completely transferred to the other.

What is the Direction of Energy Flow of Energy in an Ecosystem?

The direction of the energy flow in an ecosystem is unidirectional. It flows from the primary source
of energy i.e., the sun’s light energy to producers or autotrophs which then transferred to the
consumers. The producer uses the solar energy to produce organic food which flows through a
series of trophic levels. Each trophic level captures a portion of this energy for its metabolic needs,
while the rest is passed to the next level. The flow of energy follows the following pathway;

Solar Energy –> Producer (autotrophs) –> Consumer (herbivores) –> Consumer (carnivores) –>
Consumer (higher levels of carnivores)

Mechanism of Energy Flow in Ecosystem

Animals get energy in two forms: radiant energy
and fixed energy. Radiant energy comes from
electromagnetic waves, like light. Fixed energy
is stored in objects and substances as chemical
energy.
Organisms that convert radiant energy to fixed
energy are called autotrophs. Heterotrophs get
their energy from autotrophs. The sun is the
main source of energy in our ecosystem. But
less than half of the sun’s energy is used by
plants for photosynthesis i.e., 50% of this
energy is photosynthetically active radiation
(PAR). Figure 3: Mechanism of Energy Flow
Plants convert radiant energy to fixed energy
and pass it on to other organisms. When the sun shines on plants, they use it along with carbon
dioxide and water to make glucose and oxygen. The oxygen goes into the atmosphere and the
glucose stays in the plant. When herbivores eat plants, they get energy from the plant. Some of
this energy is lost as heat.
When carnivores eat herbivores, there is again a loss of some energy. We call this the 10% law
because only 10% of the energy available at one level is transferred to the next level. The flow of
energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional, meaning it only goes in one direction. We can’t transfer

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energy to a previous level. To understand this, we need to learn about trophic levels and the food
chain.

Trophic Levels
The trophic level concept has been exceptionally durable: it
has been one of the basic concepts of ecology for six decades
and is one of the few ecological concepts contained in the
vocabulary of most educated people. The reason for this
distinguished place in the scheme of things is that the
concept is both simple and useful. Furthermore, it is
universal: it applies to all ecosystems.
Because of this universality, trophic levels enable us to
compare the role of vastly different species in vastly different
systems. For instance, we can discuss and understand a lake
and the surrounding forest with a common language: the
forest has its vegetation and its leaf litter; the lake has its
phytoplankton and its dissolved organic matter (basal
species). The forest has herbivorous insects, birds, and
mammals; the lake has zoo-plankton (herbivores). And so
on. We can use the same language to compare these two Figure 4: Trophic Levels
systems with any other ecosystem anywhere in the
world.
Various trophic levels are as follows:
• First trophic level: This level is occupied by the producers which include the plants.
• Second trophic level: It is occupied by the primary consumers that consume plants. For
example, herbivores such as cows, goats, etc.
• Third trophic level: This level is occupied by the primary carnivores or secondary
consumers such as snakes, frogs, birds, etc.
• Fourth trophic level: Large carnivores that are also called tertiary consumers make up
this level. Example: Lion, Tiger, Cheetah, etc.

The producers and consumers in the ecosystem can be arranged into different feeding groups and
are known as trophic level or the feeding level.

1. The producers (plants) represent the first trophic level.

2. Herbivores (primary consumers) present the second trophic level.
3. Primary carnivores (secondary consumers) represent the third trophic level
4. Top carnivores (tertiary consumers) represent the last level.

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Producer
Producers are autotrophic organisms that produce their own energy through photosynthesis or
chemosynthesis. Plants, algae, and some bacteria are producers. Producers take non-living
elements from environment, use soler energy and produce food inn the process of photosynthesis.
This productivity of ecosystem can be found from the difference of total produce energy and total
energy used by respiration.
These producers form the base of the food chain, converting sunlight or inorganic compounds into
chemical energy, which is then available to other organisms.
Primary Consumers
Primary consumers are animals that depends on producers to feed. They are also known as
herbivores. Deer, rabbits, insects are primary consumers. They transfer energy from producers to
the next level by consuming plant material.
Secondary Consumers
These are carnivores that eat primary consumers. Frogs, small birds, and certain fish are secondary
consumers. They further transfer energy within the ecosystem by preying on herbivores.
Tertiary Consumers
These are top predators that consume secondary consumers. Hawks, snakes, and larger carnivores
are tertiary consumers. They are often at the top of the food chain and help control the population
of secondary consumers.
Quaternary Consumers
These are apex predators that eat tertiary consumers. Larger predators like killer whales or lions
are quaternary consumers. They play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems by
regulating the populations of lower trophic levels.
Detrivores and Decomposers
Not all plants and animals die because they are eaten. Some just die when their life span is over.
Dead plants and animals become food. Organisms that feed on large bits of dead plats and animals
are called Detrivores. Crabs and some sea birds are the detrivores in ocean ecosystem.
Earthworms, dung beetles and wolverines are three examples of detrivores in land ecosystem.
Even detrivores leave behind some waste materials: parts of the dead plants and animal matter and
their own waste. Bacteria and fungi break down these waste materials. Organisms that get their
food energy by breaking down the final remains of living thing are called Decomposers. Fruit
rotting on the ground, a sandwich molding in the bottom of a locker and a shrinking pile of seaweed
on the beach are all examples of decomposers at work.

Relation Between Trophic Level and Energy Flow

The rate of energy production by a trophic level must necessarily be less than the rate of energy
ingestion by that trophic level. First, not all energy ingested by an organism is available to be
metabolized by that organism. Some of it will be lost to excretion. The ratio of metabolizable
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energy to ingested energy is called assimilation efficiency and is typically about 0.45 for
herbivores and 0.85 for carnivores. Of the metabolizable energy, some is lost to respiration, being
used up by the organism to carry out its various activities and also simply to live, and the remainder
is available for the production of new tissue, which can in principle be consumed by the next
trophic level. The ratio of energy production to metabolizable energy is called production
efficiency and ranges from about 0.1 to 0.4 for invertebrate ectotherms to about 0.01–0.03 for
endotherms. Furthermore, not all of the energy produced at a trophic level will actually be ingested
by the next higher trophic level: much of it will be missed and end up as detritus. There is no
generally agreed term for this form of energy loss, nor is there a great deal of quantitative data for
it.
The ecological transfer efficiency of a trophic level is the ratio of (energy ingested from that trophic
level by the next highest trophic level) to (energy ingested by that trophic level). It is the product
of the three efficiencies explicated in the preceding paragraph. Ecological transfer efficiency
ranges from 0.001 or smaller (depending upon losses to detritus) up to a maximum of about [Link]
quickly becomes apparent that energy is dissipated quite rapidly as we ascend a food chain.
Suppose, for example, that each ecological transfer efficiency in a food chain is 0.1, which is rather
high. Then of the energy produced by basal species (primary production), one-tenth is produced
by herbivores. One-tenth of that, or one-hundredth of primary production, is produced by
carnivores. One-tenth of that, or one-thousandth of primary production, is produced by secondary
carnivores, and so on up the food chain. Less and less energy is available to higher trophic levels
as we move up a food chain.

Energy Pyramid
The energy pyramid is a graphical representation that illustrates the distribution of energy among
the various trophic levels in an ecosystem. It shows how energy decreases as it moves from primary
producers at the base to higher trophic levels, such as consumers and decomposers.
Structure of the Energy Pyramid

1) Base Level: Producers

a) Description: The pyramid's
base consists of primary
producers (autotrophs), such as
plants, algae, and
phytoplankton.
b) Energy Source: They convert
solar energy into chemical
energy through photosynthesis,
capturing the most energy in
the ecosystem.
2) Second Level: Primary Figure 5: Structure of Energy Pyramid
Consumers
a) Description: This level includes herbivores that feed on primary producers (e.g., rabbits,
deer).

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 b) Energy Transfer: As energy is transferred from producers to primary consumers, only
about 10% of the energy is passed on, while the rest is lost as heat or used for metabolic
processes.
3) Third Level: Secondary Consumers
a) Description: Secondary consumers are carnivores that eat primary consumers (e.g.,
snakes, small birds).
b) Energy Loss: Again, around 10% of the energy from primary consumers is available to
secondary consumers.
4) Fourth Level: Tertiary Consumers
a) Description: This level includes apex predators that consume secondary consumers (e.g.,
hawks, large cats).
b) Energy Reduction: Energy availability continues to decrease, typically to about 10% of
what was available to secondary consumers.
5) Top Level: Quaternary Consumers (if present)
a) Description: In some ecosystems, there may be a fourth level of predators, which are
even higher trophic consumers.
b) Energy Availability: Energy is further diminished, highlighting how few individuals can
exist at this level due to limited energy.

Key Characteristics of the Energy Pyramid

• Energy Flow: Energy flows in one direction—from the base (producers) upward through
the trophic levels. This flow is linear and represents the transfer of energy through the food
chain.
• Decrease in Energy: The energy pyramid visually emphasizes the significant loss of
energy at each trophic level, leading to fewer organisms at higher levels.
• Pyramid Shape: The pyramid shape reflects the decrease in available energy, biomass,
and numbers of organisms at higher trophic levels.
Importance of the Energy Pyramid
1) Understanding Ecosystem Dynamics: The energy pyramid helps illustrate the balance and
interactions between different trophic levels, emphasizing the reliance of consumers on
producers.
2) Biodiversity and Conservation: Knowledge of the energy pyramid is crucial for
understanding the impacts of removing species (especially top predators) on ecosystem
stability and biodiversity.
3) Resource Management: The concept aids in sustainable practices, such as fisheries and
agriculture, by highlighting the limits of energy availability and the importance of maintaining
healthy ecosystems.
4) Ecological Research: The energy pyramid serves as a foundational concept in ecology,
helping researchers analyze energy dynamics and assess the health of ecosystems.

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 Food Chain
Definition
A food chain refers to the order of events in an ecosystem,
where one living organism eats another organism, and later
that organism is consumed by another larger organism. The
flow of nutrients and energy from one organism to another at
different trophic levels forms a food chain.
The food chain also explains the feeding pattern or
relationship between living organisms. Trophic level refers
to the sequential stages in a food chain, starting with
producers at the bottom, followed by primary, secondary and
tertiary consumers. Every level in a food chain is known as a
trophic level.

Figure 6: Food Chain

Major Parts
The food chain consists of four major parts, namely:
• The Sun: The sun is the initial source of energy, which provides energy for everything on
the planet.
• Producers: The producers in a food chain include all autotrophs such as phytoplankton,
cyanobacteria, algae, and green plants. This is the first stage in a food chain. The producers
make up the first level of a food chain. The producers utilise the energy from the sun to
make food. Producers are also known as autotrophs as they make their own food. Producers
are any plant or other organisms that produce their own nutrients through photosynthesis.
• Consumers: Consumers are all organisms that are dependent on plants or other organisms
for food. This is the largest part of a food web, as it contains almost all living organisms.
It includes herbivores which are animals that eat plants, carnivores which are animals that
eat other animals, parasites that live on other organisms by harming them and lastly the
scavengers, which are animals that eat dead animals’ carcasses.
• Here, herbivores are known as primary consumers and carnivores are secondary
consumers. The second trophic level includes organisms that eat producers. Therefore,
primary consumers or herbivores are organisms in the second trophic level.
• Decomposers: Decomposers are organisms that get energy from dead or waste organic
material. This is the last stage in a food chain. Decomposers are an integral part of a food
chain, as they convert organic waste materials into inorganic materials, which enriches the
soil or land with nutrients.
Decomposers complete a life cycle. They help in recycling the nutrients as they provide nutrients
to soil or oceans, that can be utilized by autotrophs or producers. Thus, starting a whole new food
chain.

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Types of Food Chain
There are two types of food chains, namely the detritus food chain and the grazing food chain.
Let’s look at them more closely:
• Detritus food chain: The detritus food chain
includes different species of organisms and
plants like algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa,
mites, insects, worms and so on. The detritus
food chain begins with dead organic material.
The food energy passes into decomposers and
detritivores, which are further eaten by smaller
organisms like carnivores. Carnivores, like
maggots, become a meal for bigger carnivores
like frogs, snakes and so on. Primary
consumers like fungi, bacteria, protozoans, and Figure 7: Types of Food Chain
so on are detritivores which feed on detritus.
• Grazing food chain: The grazing food chain is a type of food chain that starts with green
plants, passes through herbivores and then to carnivores. In a grazing food chain, energy
in the lowest trophic level is acquired from photosynthesis.
In this type of food chain, the first energy transfer is from plants to herbivores. This type of food
chain depends on the flow of energy from autotrophs to herbivores. As autotrophs are the base for
all ecosystems on Earth, the majority of ecosystems in the environment follow this kind of food
chain.

Food Web
There are unique interactions and relationships
which are involved in the transportation of energy.
The energy, once produced and captured, is
distributed throughout the various living
organisms. This transfer of energy is termed as the
food web.
Several interconnected food chains form a food
web. A food web is similar to a food chain but the
food web is comparatively larger than a food chain.
Occasionally, a single organism is consumed by
many predators or it consumes several other
organisms. Due to this, many trophic levels get
interconnected. The food chain fails to showcase
Figure 8:; Food Web
the flow of energy in the right way. But, the food
web is able to show the proper representation of
energy flow, as it displays the interactions between different organisms.

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 Importance of Energy Flow
Following are some of the significances of Energy Flow in an Ecosystem;
• It is vital for all living things in ecosystem to survive and function properly.
• It helps us to understand who eats whom in nature.
• More the diversity of organisms more stable the ecosystem is.
• It shows how all creatures in an ecosystem depend on each other and how changes can
affect each other.
• It helps us to see how human action are affecting the ecosystem.
• Understanding the flow of energy in an ecosystem helps us to devise proper conservation
techniques to save the ecosystem.

Impacts of Energy losses

1) When a consumer ingests another organism not all the chemical energy in the consumer’s
food is transferred to the consumer's
tissues
a) Only around 10% of the energy is
available to the consumer to store in their
tissues
b) This is because around 90% of the
energy is lost to the environment
2) Around 90% of the energy is lost to the
environment because
a) Not every part of the food organism is
eaten, e.g., the roots and woody parts of
plants or the bones of animals, meaning Figure 9: Impacts of Energy losses
that the chemical energy these uneaten
tissues contain is lost to the environment
b) Consumers are not able to digest all of the food they ingest, e.g., cellulose in plants, or
the fur of animals, so some is egested as faces; the chemical energy in this undigested
food is also lost to the environment
c) Energy is lost to the environment in the form of heat when consumers respire
d) Energy is lost to the environment when organisms excrete the waste products of
metabolism e.g., urea in urine
3) The energy that is left after these losses is available to the consumer to fuel their life
functions, including being stored in carbon compounds in their tissues during growth.

Scientists can gather information about the world by observing events, or phenomena, before
formulating theories that seek to explain those events
In the case of food chains:
• Scientists observe that food chains are short and have a pyramid structure
• Theories of energy flow and energy losses can provide an explanation for these phenomena

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Food chains are limited in length
• Food chains rarely have more than around four or five trophic levels; this is because with
energy losses at each trophic level, there is less and less energy available to the consumer
as you go up the food chain
• When a food chain gets longer than four or five trophic levels it becomes too difficult for
a predator to hunt enough prey to gain the energy to survive
Biomass decreases with each trophic level
• Because only around 10% of the energy stored in a producer's tissues is available to a
primary consumer, primary consumers need to consume a large amount of plant
biomass to gain enough energy to survive
• Again, only around 10% of the energy stored in a primary consumer's tissues is available
to a secondary consumer, meaning that secondary consumers need to consume a large
amount of prey biomass to gain enough energy to survive
• This leads to a large reduction in biomass at each trophic level and means that when
represented in terms of biomass, food chains have a pyramid structure.

Biogeochemical Cycle and Energy Flow

Nutrient Availability
Biochemical cycles, such as the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and water cycles, ensure that
essential nutrients are recycled and made available to organisms. These nutrients are vital for
growth, reproduction, and various metabolic processes, which are fundamental for energy transfer
and utilization within the ecosystem.
Energy and Matter Transfer
• Energy Flow: Energy flows through an ecosystem primarily through the food chain,
starting from primary producers (autotrophs) to various levels of consumers (heterotrophs).
• Nutrient Cycling: While energy flows in a linear direction, nutrients cycle through various
forms (e.g., from inorganic to organic and back) within the ecosystem. For example, plants
absorb nitrogen from the soil, which is then transferred through herbivores and carnivores
as they consume each other.
Role of Decomposers
Decomposers play a key role in both energy flow and biochemical cycles. When organisms die,
decomposers break down their organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil. This process not only
recycles nutrients but also releases energy that can be utilized by plants and microorganisms, thus
sustaining the flow of energy within the ecosystem.
Ecosystem Productivity
• Primary Productivity: The efficiency of energy flow is influenced by the availability of
nutrients. For instance, nutrient-rich environments often support higher primary

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 productivity, which means more energy is captured by producers and made available to
consumers.
• Limiting Factors: If a nutrient is scarce (e.g., nitrogen or phosphorus), it can limit plant
growth, affecting the entire food web and the overall energy flow in the ecosystem.
Feedback Mechanisms
• Changes in energy flow can impact biochemical cycles and vice versa. For example:
• Increased productivity (more energy flow) can lead to higher rates of nutrient uptake by
plants, enhancing nutrient cycling.
• Conversely, a disruption in nutrient cycling (e.g., pollution) can lead to decreased energy
flow due to reduced primary productivity.

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 Conclusion
The energy flow of an ecosystem is essential for ecological balance. Energy flow involves the
transfer of energy from one organism to another, primarily through food. This flow is governed by
the laws of thermodynamics. It is unidirectional from the sun to producers and then to consumers,
sustaining life. Understanding trophic levels and the food chain helps in learning about the process
of flow of energy in ecosystem which is crucial for maintaining biodiversity.

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• Hall, C. A. S., & Moll, R. (1975). Methods of Assessing Aquatic Primary Productivity.
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• Gosz, J. R., Holmes, R. T., Likens, G. E., & Bormann, F. H. (1978). The flow of energy in
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