Trophic Levels, Food Webs and Food Chains
- Created by: Jess2015
- Created on: 03-04-15 16:16
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- Trophic Levels, Food Chains & Food Webs
- Trophic Levels are energy levels in a food chain.
- Level 3- Carnivores
- E.g. house sparrow, fish
- Level 2- Herbivores
- E.g. earthworm, zooplankton
- Level 4- Top Predators (Omnivores)
- E.g. tawny owl, great white shark
- Level 1- Autotrophs
- E.g. grass, phytoplankton
- Level 3- Carnivores
- Reducer Organisms operate at all trophic levels. They return remaining nutrients to the soil.
- Deritovores- animals which eat dead or decaying organisms
- E.g. lice, earthworms, vultures
- Decomposers- organisms which cause the decay of dead plants, animals and excrement
- E.g. bacteria, fungi
- Deritovores- animals which eat dead or decaying organisms
- Energy Pyramids
- In an ecosystem, nutrients are recycled but 90% of energy is lost at each trophic level.
- Therefore, there is less energy (insolation) available at each trophic level, so fewer organisms can be supported.
- This energy loss can be illustrated using energy pyramids
- Therefore, there is less energy (insolation) available at each trophic level, so fewer organisms can be supported.
- In an ecosystem, nutrients are recycled but 90% of energy is lost at each trophic level.
- Food Webs/Chains
- Food chains are useful for explaining the basic principals behind an ecosystem. However, they only show one species per trophic level which is rarely the case in reality.
- A more realistic version of an ecosystem can be shown using a food web (a network of linked food chains)
- Trophic Levels are energy levels in a food chain.
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