Science Common Sense
1089 - How does energy flow and circulate among different species through the food chain in an ecosystem.
Imagine a big web of life, that's an ecosystem. In this web, energy flows from one living thing to another through eating and being eaten. Here's how:
- Plants make food: Plants use sunlight, water, and air to make their own food (glucose). This process is called photosynthesis.
- Herbivores eat plants: Animals that eat plants, like deer or rabbits, get energy from the plants they eat.
- Carnivores eat herbivores: Animals that eat herbivores, like lions or hawks, get energy from the herbivores they eat.
- Energy flows up: When one animal eats another, some of the energy from the food it ate moves up to the next level.
- Some energy is lost: At each level, some energy is lost as heat or waste, so not all the energy is passed on.
This energy flow through eating is called a food chain. It shows how living things depend on each other for energy and survival. For example:
Plant → Herbivore (eats plant) → Carnivore (eats herbivore) → Decomposers (break down dead things)
Remember, energy flows through the food chain, and each living thing plays a vital role in the web of life!