Energy And Biomass In Food Chains Flashcards
What process to plants use to get energy from the sun?
Photosynthesis
What are producers?
Producers are organisms that make their own food; they are also known as autotrophs. They get energy from chemicals or the sun, and with the help of water, convert that energy into useable energy in the form of sugar, or food. The most common example of a producer are plants.
What are consumers?
Consumers are organisms of an ecological food chain which receive energy by consuming other organisms. These organisms are formally referred to as heterotrophs, which include animals, bacteria and fungi.
What is biomass?
the total quantity or weight of organisms in a given area or volume.
Why is the amount of energy contained in the biomass of organisms reduced at each stage of the food chain?
The biomass in each trophic level is always less than the trophic level below. This is because biomass is a measure of the amount of food available. When animals eat, only a small proportion of their food is converted into new tissue, which is the food for the next trophic level. Most of the biomass that animals eat is either not digested, or used to provide the energy needed for staying alive.
