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Science 10 Sustainability of Ecosystems Notes 1 – Capturing Energy From the Sun Stretch Your Mind… Suppose that you eat 0.5 kg of food in one day. Why does your body not increase in mass by 0.5 kg? How does your body use food? Make a list of ten activities for which your body requires energy. Which activities do you think require the most energy? the least energy? Ecology and Ecosystems Ecology is the study of the relationships that exist between living things, and between living things and their environment. An ecosystem includes: all of the organisms in an area that interact with each other, and their environment of energy and matter. Components of Ecosystems Ecosystems, then, are made up of two components: Biotic Components: living things Abiotic Components: non-living things (i.e. soil, water, air, and temperature) The main focus of ecology is the flow of ENERGY through an ecosystem. Where does this energy come from? How is it “harnessed”, and what is it used for? The Sun and Green Plants The “fuel” for an ecosystem’s energy comes from the Sun. Sunlight is captured by green plants during photosynthesis and stored as chemical energy in carbohydrate molecules. Green plants, then, are called producers because they produce chemical energy (fuel) for the ecosystem. This energy is passed through the ecosystem from species to species via food chains. Consumers Some animals get their energy by eating plants. They are called primary consumers or herbivores. Others get their energy by feeding on plant-eaters. They are called secondary consumers or carnivores. All of the biotic components of ecosystems use this energy to carry out life processes (i.e. respiration, reproduction, sailing, etc.). What is a tertiary consumer? What is an omnivore? Decomposers Many organisms do not get eaten – at least, not until after they have died. When they die, energy still remains in the tissues of their bodies. Decomposers break down the cells and extract the last remaining energy. Scavengers feed on larger dead animals. Detritivores feed on smaller dead animals, dead plant matter, and dung.