How does energy flow through a system, and how does it impact organisms?
Energy flows through an ecosystem in one direction beginning from the sun or inorganic compounds, to producers, to a diverse group of heterotrophs. Energy is passed along an ecosystem through a food chain.
Sunlight is the main energy source of life on Earth- it is captured by plants which are producers or autotrophs during photosynthesis. Some autotrophs use chemical energy to produce food that they can use.
Those organisms that can not produce their own food are called consumers or heterotrophs. They depend on the producers for energy and they can either be carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, decomposers, or detritivores.
The flow of energy through an ecosystem is a very important factor that determines the ecosystem's capacity to sustain life.
Citation:
Prentice Hall Biology Book Unit Two Chapter Three
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/producersconsumers.htm
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