Ans: Energy flows through an ecosystem in a one-way direction, primarily from the sun to organisms and then through a series of trophic levels. Here’s a brief overview:
- Producers: Plants and other photosynthetic organisms capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy through photosynthesis, creating food (glucose) for themselves.
- Primary Consumers (Herbivores): Herbivores, like rabbits, eat plants to obtain the energy stored in the plant’s tissues.
- Secondary Consumers (Carnivores): Carnivores, like foxes, feed on herbivores, obtaining energy from the prey’s stored plant energy.
- Tertiary Consumers (Higher Carnivores): Some ecosystems have tertiary consumers, like apex predators (e.g.,wolves or lions), that eat secondary consumers.
- Decomposers: Decomposers, including bacteria and fungi, break down dead organisms and organic matter. They release energy through decomposition and recycle nutrients back to the ecosystem.