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THE ENERGY FLOW IN AN ECOSYSTEM

The ultimate source of energy is the sun. The energy enters the ecosystem in the form of light.
About 95 to 99% of this energy is lost by conduction, convection, radiation, heat, evaporation and
reflection .About 1 to 5% of this light energy is trapped by green pigments called chlorophyll in
plants and converted into carbohydrates by a process called photosynthesis.

Thus green plants convert sunlight energy into chemical energy by photosynthesis .This energy is
stored in them as plant biomass which can be used by other organisms.
The energy passes through the ecosystem in the form of food chain .Food chain is a series of
organisms through which energy passes in the form of food. The primary consumers obtain their
energy when they feed on producers. About 90% of this energy is lost as undigested food,
excretory waste and in respiration .The remaining 10% of this energy is stored in them as animal
biomass which can be transferred to the next trophic level. The secondary consumers obtain this
energy when they feed on primary consumers. They also lose about 90% energy as undigested food,
excretory waste and in respiration. The remaining 10% of this energy is stored in them as animal
biomass which can be transferred to the next trophic level. Thus by eating and being eaten energy
passes through the ecosystem in the form of food.

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When organisms die, the decomposers break down organic matter into inorganic materials, which
can be used by the green plants .By this process energy is released and lost from the ecosystem in
the form of heat. So energy is not recycled in the ecosystem.
When the animals die, their tissues decompose and may be changed into fossil fuel such as crude oil
due to the action of the layers of rocks over millions of years.

Food Relationships
Every organism needs food in order to live. Every organism can be classified by where it fits into
the food chain. Most broadly, all organisms fit into one of three camps: producers, herbivore,
carnivore and decomposers.

Producers : Producers are the autotrophic organisms that convert light energy to chemical
energy via the processes of photosynthesis. Producers form the foundation of every food chain.
On land, plants and photosynthetic bacteria are the main producers. In marine environments,
green plants and algae are the main producers. In deep water environments near geothermal
vents, chemosynthetic organisms are the main producers.

Carnivore: Carnivores are the heterotrophic organisms that obtain energy by eating other
organisms.

Consumers: Consumers cannot produce the energy by their own Consumers are also called
heterotrophs because they consume other organisms in order to get the energy necessary for life.
There are three types of consumers; based on which organisms preys on.

Primary consumers (herbivores): An animal obtain energy by eating plants. Such as sheep,
grasshoppers, and rabbits, feed on producers.

Secondary consumers:(Carnivore): Carnivores are the heterotrophic organisms that obtain

energy by eating other organisms (herbivores). Foxes and insect-eating birds are examples of
secondary consumers.

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Tertiary consumers (Predators) eat secondary consumers. Polar bears that eat sea lions are
tertiary consumers.

Consumers that eat both producers and other consumers are called omnivores.

DECOMPOSER: Organisms which obtain food from the dead organic matter. Bacteria and fungi
are the saprophytic which feed on the dead organic matter.

Word Meaning

Producers - Green plants they make food by photosynthesis.

Primary consumers - Usually eat plant material they are herbivores. For example rabbits,
caterpillars, cows and sheep.

Secondary consumers- Usually eat animal material they are carnivores. For example cats, dogs
and lions.

Predators - Kill for food. They are either secondary or tertiary consumers

Prey - The animals that predators feed on.

Scavengers - Feed on dead animals. For example, crows, vultures and hyenas are scavengers.

Decomposers Feed on dead and decaying organisms, and on the undigested parts of plant and
animal matter in faeces.

On shorter food chains, less energy is lost.

Food chain
Food chain is a sequence of organisms, starting, with a photosynthetic organisms (green plant)
through which energy is p-assed as one organisms is eaten by the next in the sequence.
mahogany tree caterpillar song bird hawk decomposer

maize locust lizard snake decomposer

energy enters the food chain from the sunlight via the process of photosynthesis. The other
organisms in the food chain (consumers) obtain their energy by eating other organisms. Energy
is transferred along the food chain.
In each level energy is lost through respiration and in the form of heat to the environment.
Energy is lost as excretory product (urea) or as faeces. Thus energy is transferred from one level
to another , there is a loss, so that the total energy decreases progressively down the food chain.

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Food web: is a network of interconnected (interlinked) food chain showing the energy flow
through part of an ecosystem. Predators feed on more than one type of prey. When different
food chains strung together, it form a food web.

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.

Food webs are easily unbalanced, especially if one population of organisms in the web dies
or disappears. This may happen for a number of reasons, including:

overpredation or hunting
disease
pollution
use of pesticides
lack of food (or other resources)
emigration.

For example, in the food web here, if all the baboons were killed by hunters the leopard
would have only impala to eat. So the impala population would decrease. The scorpion

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 population may increase because of less predation by baboons, but if there are more
scorpions they will eat more locusts, reducing the locust population, and so on.

MALARIAL PARASITE
PARASITE: An organism which obtains its food from living organisms (host) and cause harm to
the host.

Host: The organisms in which the parasite lives in and obtains its food.

Vector: The organisms that carry pathogens.

What is malaria parasite?

Malaria is a diseases caused by a microscopic protozoan (unicellular organisms called

Plasmodium). This lives in the blood and liver of an infected person. This Plasmodium carried
from infected person to healthy person by female Anopheles mosquito. The female Anopheles
mosquito is described as a vector or carrier of the parasite Plasmodium.

IMPORTANT ROLE OF MOSQUITO AS VECTOR

1. Have sharp mouth part

2. Bites are almost painless

3. Have wings to fly from one person to the other.

4. Bite at night when the host is sleeping.

5. Secrete saliva which has anticoagulant

6. Carries many parasites (Plasmodium)

7, Bread in large number in short time.

Describe the transmission and control of the malarial pathogen.

Transmission of malaria: Female Anopheles mosquito (vector) sucks blood from an infected
person, it absorb Plasmodium (parasite) into its stomach along with blood. Now Plasmodium
(parasite) multiplies in the stomach of the mosquito sexually and then passes to the mosquito
salivary gland.

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Plasmodium (parasite) Infected mosquito bites healthy person (it needs extra energy to develop
eggs). First mosquito injects parasite Plasmodium then suck the blood. (It releases the chemical-
anticoagulant). Parasite enters into the blood and multiply asexually in the human liver cells as a
result toxin is released and human (host) infected with malaria.

Malaria also transmitted through the blood donors.

Malaria infected pregnant lady, Plasmodium transfer is less chance to the fetus.

Signs and symptoms:

Fever (intermittent fever every 48 -72 hours.

Malaria parasite attacks liver cells (inflammation) and RBC.
Toxin produced by parasite causes fever accompanied by chills, shivering and death may
occur if untreated.

Treatment: Anti malarial drugs such as quinine, chloroquinine.

Control of Malarial pathogens:

Fogging to kill adult mosquito

Spraying insecticides
Use of mosquito coil
Draining the stagnant water
Introducing fishes to ponds
Cover water tanks with net to stop mosquitoes laying eggs in the water.

Avoid mosquito bites

Using nets over door and windows.

Sleeping under net.
Wear clothes which cover wrists and ankles.
Use insect repellent spray.

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 The Nitrogen Cycle.
What is the nitrogen cycle?

The nitrogen cycle describes the movement of nitrogen through the environment. Nitrogen
exists in the soil, in plants and animals, and in the air. Nitrogen moves through the processes
shown in the picture below.

How does the nitrogen cycle work?

Although nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78% of the air, plants can not use it for growth unless it is
turned into nitrate (NO3) in the soil.

Making nitrogen in the atmosphere into nitrate in the soil is called fixing. Nitrogen fixing occurs
naturally in four ways. [Nitrogen fixing also occurs with the Haber process]

1. Nitrogen fixing bacteria in the soil turn nitrogen in the soil into nitrate.
2. Nitrogen fixing bacteria on some plant root nodules turn nitrogen into nitrate. Plants
that have these kinds of root nodules include peas, beans.
3. Compounds containing ammonia occur in animal excretion and in dead animals. The
ammonia turns into nitrite and there are nitrifying bacteria in the soil that turn nitrite
(NO2) into nitrate (NO3). They are called nitrifying bacteria because the increase the
amount of nitrate in the soil.

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4. Lightning can cause chemical reactions in the atmosphere that make nitrogen react with
oxygen producing nitrous oxides.
Nitrous oxides are also made from petrol engine pollution. The nitrous oxides can react
with more oxygen and dissolve in rain water to make dilute nitric acid (HNO3).

Nitric acid (acid rain) contains nitrate and so rain water containing nitric acid increases
the amount of nitrate in the soil. Most of the fixing of nitrogen occurs through the
natural processes described above.

The Haber process for making fertilizers accounts for about 30% of nitrogen fixing.
Nitrate in the soil is essential for plant growth.

There are denitrifying bacteria in the soil that turn nitrate (NO3) into nitrogen gas (N2)
and the nitrogen gas goes back into the atmosphere. They are called denitrifying
bacteria because they decrease the amount of nitrate in the soil.

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 Carbon Cycle
Living organisms need carbon to

1. Make food (by green plants photosynthesis)

2. make energy (through respiration)

3. make new cells for growth and repair.

Carbon cycles through ecosystem enter repeatedly from one organisms to another, and between
organisms and the environment.

The various processes by which carbon in the form of carbon-di-oxide is removed and restored
to the atmosphere constitute the carbon cycle.

During photosynthesis, green plants absorb carbon-di-oxide from the atmosphere and use it to
manufacture glucose. Glucose may change to other organic compounds like fats and amino acids
or proteins. When animals feed on green plants, the carbon compounds become part of the
bodies of these animals. The carbon compounds may be preserved in fossil fuel.

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Release of carbon-di-oxide in the atmosphere

1. Respiration: when living organisms respire carbon compounds like glucose are break down
and carbon-di-oxide is released into the environment. (Write the aerobic respiration equation
down).

2. Combustion: burning of fossil fuel, like coal and natural gas, release carbon-di oxide into the
atmosphere.

3. Decay: when organisms die, their dead bodies are broken down into simple organic and
inorganic substances by decomposer. (Bacteria and fungi). When decomposers respire carbon-di
oxide is again released into the atmosphere.

Importance of carbon cycle

Carbon cycle ensures that there is a continuous supply of inorganic carbon-di oxide for plants to
carry out photosynthesis. (Write the photosynthesis equation).

Non photosynthetic organisms can use the chemical energy (produced by green plants) to stay
alive.

Describe and interpret pyramids of number and of pyramids of biomass

There are 3 types of ecological pyramids

1. Pyramid numbers
2. Pyramid biomass
3. Pyramid energy

Pyramid of numbers:

It shows the relative number of organisms at each stage of a food chain. (the plant is the
producer, the bottom has the largest number of organisms)

In marine huge number of microscopic plants called phytoplankton supports a much smaller
number of zooplankton, which support bait fish which are eaten by the shark. Moving up the
pyramid, the number of organisms generally decreases but the size of the individual increases.

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Example:2

A single oak tree can support thousands of insects which would give upside down pyramid. (it
suggest that a very small amount of the tree can support a much larger amount of insects-but it is
not correct)

Pyramid of Biomass:

Accurate understanding of food chain structure is obtained by considering not the total number
of organisms at each trophic level but their total weight or biomass. Mass of the tree was much
larger than the mass of the insects that were eating its leaves

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Pyramid of energy
Pyramid of biomass does not gives true picture what is happening as energy flows along a food
chain

Snail is smaller than the cabbage on which they are feeding (does this mean only small amount
of energy is lost between the cabbage and snail.)

A lot of energy is lost to the environment as food is transferred from one trophic level to the
next. The total energy level decreases progressively along the food chain. Therefore the pyramid
of energy is always broad at the base and narrow towards the apex.

Energy may lost to the environment as heat lost during respiration, homeostasis, locomotion,
transmission of impulse, excretion (urea, carbon dioxide) through undigested food.

Human and food chain

One hectare of land on which soya bean are growing. Soybean capture some of energy from
sunlight to produce chemical energy like protein and starch. People can eat part of the plant but
cannot root, stem and leave. But this soya bean plant could be eaten by cattle and cattles are
eaten by animals. Lot of energy will be lost in the transfer between the cattle and human.

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Human eating directly soya bean provides more energy than eating the cattle. Wheat, rice,
potato, nuts, beans etc: provide good energy sources for people.

It will be different if grass is growing in one hectare. Grass eaten by cattle, but human cannot eat
grass since the enzyme cellulase is absent in human to digest the grass. But cattle stomach
produces the enzyme cellulase to digest the cellulose.

Discuss reasons for conservation of species with reference to maintenance of biodiversity,

management of fisheries and management of timber production.

Conservation: The protection and preservation of natural resources in the environment.

Reasons for conservation:

To prevent extinction of plant and animal species. Since many species of animals and plants are
in danger if extinction. [Extinction: The removal of organisms from an environment at a faster
rate than the organisms can reproduce itself to extinction.]

Maintaining a stable and balanced ecosystem (prevents disruption of natural cycles e.g. carbon,
nitrogen and water cycles and prevents global warming.

1. Loss of species also means that its genes are lost: these may be important in the future for
genetic engineering (e.g. to improve crops) and the production of useful chemicals such
as medicine. [Many wild plants and animals possess favourable genes. By cross-breeding
the different varieties of wild plants and animals, we can improve agricultural produce,
gaining a better yield of milk or produce plants with better resistance to diseases and
drought.]

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 2. The presence of rare species can be an important source of money for poor communities
through tourism.
3. Conservation of marine life (source of food).
4. To maintain biodiversity. Tropical rainforest house a large number of species of animals
and plants. Many tropical plants are of great economic importance as they are sources of
raw materials for industries, medicinal drugs, natural insecticides and food.
5. The species may play an important role in a food chain. Its loss could danger other
species.

Deforestation leads to extinction of plant, animal species. Uncontrolled fishing leads to the
extinction of fish species.

Need for conservation of natural resources

Some natural resources (the material we take from Earth) are not replaceable (renewable).
Example fossil fuels such as coal took millions of years to form increasing demands for energy
are depleting these resources.

Timber, rubber, oils and medicinal plants are commodities supplied by trees. These trees grow
slowly.

Ways of conserving natural resources

Use renewable energy (wind, solar power, hydroelectric power)

Use smaller car engines\, more public transport
A system of sustainable management must therefore be used. By harvesting few numbers
of trees that can be replaced by planting.

Conservation of fish:

The oceans supply many communities with a large part of their food requirements. Over fishing
can reduce fish populations to a point where they are not able to maintain their numbers.

1. Banning drift nets (indiscriminately trap all forms of sea life)

2. Using nets with certain mesh size (hole size) so that young fish are not caught.

3. Regulating the size of ships allowed into fishing grounds.

4. Banning the harvesting of endangered species.

5. Limiting the period of fishing in fishing grounds.

6. Encouraging the raising of these fish in hatcheries and releasing them into fishing grounds
where fish populations are decreasing.

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Conservation of wild life:

Establishing protected areas for wild life.

Breeding endangered species of animals in zoops and wildlife parks, and releasing them to the
wild later .

Farming wildlife for human use as well as to replenish their numbers in the wild.

Discuss reasons for recycling materials, with reference to named examples.

The resources on the Earth are limited. It is important that the things we do now do not make
things difficult or impossible for future generations. To achieve sustainable development, we
need to balance these things carefully.

The need for economic development, where standards of living improve

Respects for the environment and the resource it provides for us

Recycling is an important way to help us achieve sustainable development. We can recycle many
resources including:

Glass
Metal
Paper

Glass: is easily recycled. It can be melted and remoulded to make objects such as bottles. The
energy needed to do this is less than the energy needed to make new glass from its raw materials.
However, we need to sort different coloured glass ready of recycling.

Metal: Aluminum is a valuable metal that melts at a relatively low temperature, and is attractive
for recycling. However a lot metals that we use are mixtures called alloys.

Paper: Paper is made from wood (trees). Paper is recycled by broken up into small pieces and
reformed to make new sheets of paper. This takes less energy to do than making paper from
trees. Recycled paper is often used for toilet paper, news paper or cardboard etc.

Water: Sewage is mainly water, contaminated with organic material, solids bacteria and minerals
such as phosphates. In places where water is in short supply, the sewage is treated to provide
water that is clean enough to drink. Any treated effluent that is returned to water system such as
river will not cause problems such as eutrophication.

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