Energy flows in an ecosystem through different levels, which are arranged like a pyramid. Here’s how it works:
Producers: These are living things like plants and tiny ocean plants called phytoplankton. They make energy from sunlight using a process called photosynthesis. For example, a sunflower catches sunlight to help it grow.
Primary Consumers: These are plant-eating animals, like rabbits and caterpillars. They eat producers to get energy. However, they only get about 10% of the energy that the plants originally had.
Secondary Consumers: These are meat-eating animals, like foxes, that eat primary consumers. Just like before, they only get about 10% of the energy that the herbivores absorbed.
Tertiary Consumers: These are the top predators, like hawks, that eat secondary consumers. They also receive only about 10% of the energy passed up from the other levels.
As we go up this pyramid, a lot of energy gets lost. This means there are fewer animals at the top compared to the bottom.
Energy flows in an ecosystem through different levels, which are arranged like a pyramid. Here’s how it works:
Producers: These are living things like plants and tiny ocean plants called phytoplankton. They make energy from sunlight using a process called photosynthesis. For example, a sunflower catches sunlight to help it grow.
Primary Consumers: These are plant-eating animals, like rabbits and caterpillars. They eat producers to get energy. However, they only get about 10% of the energy that the plants originally had.
Secondary Consumers: These are meat-eating animals, like foxes, that eat primary consumers. Just like before, they only get about 10% of the energy that the herbivores absorbed.
Tertiary Consumers: These are the top predators, like hawks, that eat secondary consumers. They also receive only about 10% of the energy passed up from the other levels.
As we go up this pyramid, a lot of energy gets lost. This means there are fewer animals at the top compared to the bottom.