Concepts of Ecosystem

  1. A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which energy and nutrients flow in an ecosystem.
  2. Food chains start with producers, such as plants, which convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.
  3. Producers are followed by primary consumers (herbivores), which feed directly on plants.
  4. Secondary consumers (carnivores) feed on primary consumers.
  5. Tertiary consumers are top predators that feed on secondary consumers.
  6. Each step in a food c
  1. Ecosystems perform essential functions that sustain life on Earth.
  2. Two primary functions of ecosystems are energy flow and nutrient cycling.
  3. Energy flow refers to the transfer of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem.
  4. Nutrient cycling involves the recycling of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus within the ecosystem.
  5. Energy flow in an ecosystem is unidirectional, moving from the sun to producers and then to consumers and deco