Trophic Level Distribution of Energy

Important Vocabulary

• Trophic level –a set of species occupying one level of the ecological food chain.

Situation 1

Energy from the sun is captured by the leaves in the prairie grass and is used for photosynthesis to make food stored in the plants. Along comes a prairie dog, that eats the grass for energy. A black- footed ferret sneaks up and takes the prairie dog away to eat for dinner.

Situation 2

• A Nettle plant takes energy from the sun to photosynthesize. Nettle aphids love to eat the nettle plant which attracts ladybugs who lay their eggs on the nettle and their larvae gobble up the nettle aphids.

Situation 3

• The pecan tree takes the energy from the sun and uses it to make food. The pecan stores energy in its nut. A squirrel takes many of these nuts and eats them for energy. A fox catches and eats the squirrel.

November 6, 2014

You need your journal and a red, blue, green, and yellow colored pencil.

500 units of energy

Calculate and color according to the chart for this level.

Take the “stored energy”

Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart.

Take the “stored energy”

Calculate and distribute the energy according to this chart.

Stored Energy

How many grams are left?

Stored Energy Cup

How many grams are left in this cup?

0.5 grams

Only 10% was passed along to the next trophic level each time an organism was eaten.

EXPLAIN

• Photosynthesis – color green – 150 squares (30% of 500)• Unused Energy from sun- color yellow – 100 squares

(20% of 500)• Reproduction – color red – 150 squares (30% of 500)• Respiration – color blue – 50 squares (10% of 500)• Stored Energy – do not color - leave blank – 50 squares (10% of 500)

EXPLAIN

• Cut out the uncolored stored energy block of 50 squares. (eaten by a primary consumer)

• Movement – color green – 15 squares – (30% of 50)• Digestion – color yellow – 10 squares – (20% of 50)• Reproduction – color red – 15 squares – (30% of 50)• Respiration – color blue – 5 squares – (10% of 50)• Stored Energy – do not color – leave blank – 5 squares

(10% of 50)

EXPLAIN

• Cut out the block of 5 uncolored squares for stored energy (eaten by a secondary consumer).

• Movement – color green – 1.5 squares – (30% of 5)• Digestion – color yellow – 1 square – (20% of 5)• Reproduction – color red – 1.5 squares – (30% of 5)• Respiration – color blue – .5 squares – (10% of 5)• Stored Energy – do not color – leave blank – .5 squares

(10% of 5)

Energy “Pyramid”