7thSci Energy Cycle (Windowed)
Mr. Zheng
Created on November 22, 2023
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Transcript
The Energy Cycle
(aka Food Web)
Examples
- Giant Kelp
- Algae
- Plants
- Cyanobacteria
National Geographic Encyclopedia Entry
Autotroph (Producer)
An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. Because autotrophs produce their own food, they are sometimes called producers.
- Scavenger
- Omnivore
- Carnivore
- Herbivore
Examples
National Geographic Encyclopedia Entry
Consumer (Heterotroph)
Heterotrophs cannot produce their own energy and must consume other organisms. Every food web includes consumers—organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms. All animals are consumers.
Examples
- Fungi
- Bacteria
National Geographic Encyclopedia Entry
Decomposers (Heterotroph)
Decomposers also cannot make their own food and play a critical role in the flow of energy through an ecosystem. They break apart dead organisms into simpler inorganic materials, making nutrients and other abiotic chemicals available to primary producers.
Examples
- Minerals (iron, zinc, magnesium, etc.)
- Nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, etc.)
- Vitamins
National Geographic Encyclopedia Entry
Abiotic Chemicals
Abiotic factors—nonliving things in an environment, such as air, light, and water—are critical for healthy ecosystems. Decomposers create these abiotic chemicals and enrich the soil for producers to grow and develop.