Energy flow in the ecosystem

Energy can be defined as the capacity to do work. The existence of living world depends
upon the flow of energy and circulation of materials through the ecosystem. The energy is
required for the performance of all the life activities. The source of energy in the atmosphere is
the solar energy.
The expenditure and storage of energy is described by two laws of thermodynamics. The
first law of thermodynamics called law of conservation of energy states that “energy is neither
created nor destroyed and is converted from one form to another. For example, solar energy
changes into energy of food and heat. The second law of thermodynamics states that “whenever
energy is transformed from one kind to another, there is an increase in entropy and a decrease in
the amount of useful energy”. For example, when energy in the form of food is transferred from
one organism to the next, some energy is lost at every step as heat.

Plants store the energy in the form of potential energy in food stuff by producers. When
an herbivore animal eats a plant and these organic compounds are oxidized, the energy liberated
is just equal to the amount of energy used in synthesizing the substances (first law of
Thermodynamics), but some of the energy is heat and not useful energy (second law of
Thermodynamics). If this animal in turn is eaten by another one, along with transfer of energy
from a herbivore to carnivore, a further decrease in useful energy occurs. As the second animal
(Carnivore) oxidizes the organic substances of the first (Herbivore) to liberate energy to
synthesize its own cellular constituents. It is evident that at each step in the transfer of energy
from one trophic level to another a large amount of energy is converted into heat and never
returns back to the ecosystem. Such transfer of energy from organism to organism sustains the
ecosystem. From the above factors it is clear that energy flows in a single direction, and keeps on
decreasing at every level.
 I. Food Chains and Food web:
The transfer of food energy from the producers, through a series of organisms
(herbivore to Carnivores to decomposers) with repeated eating and being eaten is known as a
food chain.
Plant herbivore carnivore
This is one form of trophic relationship in which plants are producers, herbivores are
primary consumers and the carnivores secondary consumers. There may exist tertiary
consumers also. The plants are said to be at the first trophic level. The herbivores represent
second trophic level. Similarly, primary carnivores (animals those feed on herbivore)
constitute the third trophic level where as secondary carnivores (eg: Large fish, man etc)
constitute the fourth trophic level in an ecosystem. Thus the energy is transferred through
series of stages in an ecosystem and this is explained as Food chain.

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
Producers Herbivores Primary Secondary Tertiary
Carnivores Carnivores Carnivores

(Photoplanktons, Zooplanktons, Small Birds, Large Birds, Man, Lion

Grass, Trees) Grasshopper, Fish, Foxes Wolves
Rabbit, Cows

T6
Minerals Decomposers
(Bacteria, Fungi)

Fig: Trophic Levels

 The transfer of energy from the source in plants through a series of organisms by eating
and being eaten constitutes food chains. At each transfer, a large proportion of energy is lost in
the form of heat. These food chains are not isolated sequences, but are interconnected with each
other. This interlocking pattern is known as the food web. Each step of the food web is called
a trophic level. Hence green plants occupy the first level, herbivores the second level, carnivores
the third level and secondary carnivores the fourth level. These trophic levels together form the
ecological pyramid.

There are two types of food chains found in terrestrial ecosystem. They are
a) Grazing food chain and
b) Detritus food chain
a) Grazing food chain: This food chain begin with a green plant which is the
original source of all food and goes through smaller to larger animals, i.e., grazing herbivores to
carnivores. Ecosystems with such type of food chains are directly dependent on an influx of solar
radiation. Most of the ecosystems in nature follow this type of food chain. Few examples of
grazing food chain are as follows.

_______________________________________________________________
Type of Producer Herbivores Primary Secondary Tertiary
Ecosystem Consumer Consumer Consumer
A. Grassland 1.Grasses Insects Frogs Snakes Predatory
Ecosystem Birds

2. Grasses Rats and Snakes Predatory

Mice Birds

3. Grasses Rabbit Fox Wolf Lion

B. Pond Phytoplankton Zooplanktons Small Large Predatory
Ecosystem Fishes Fishes Birds
C. Forest Trees Phytophagous Lizards Lion
Ecosystem insects, Birds Tiger
Herbivore Foxes Mammals etc.

Fig: Grazing type Food Chain

 b). Detritus food Chain: The organic wastes, disintegrated dead bodies of plants and
animals are called detritus. The detritus eating organisms are detritivores. The detritivores are
bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoans, nematodes, annelids, arthropods, molluscs, ducks etc. This
type of food chain goes from dead organic matter into microorganisms and then to organisms.
Such ecosystems are thus less dependent on direct solar energy.

This can be represented as follows.

Detritus Detritivores Detritivore small Large

Consumers Carnivores Carnivores
Mangrove Fungi, Insect Larvae Minnows Large Fish
Fallen Leaves bacteria Certain Crustaceans small Fish eating
And and Molluscs and game Fish Birds
Dead bodies Protozoans Fishes etc.
Fig: Detritus Food Chain

Food web: We have studied in food chain that in an ecosystem various food chains appear in a
simple linear sequence. But in an ecosystem it is not so simple. Usually each organism feeds on
two or more different kinds of organisms and is in turn eaten by two or more different animals.
This means that there is an interaction and inter connection between different food chains. This
interconnection of number of food chains forms a food web. So a food web can be defined as a
network of food chains which becomes inter connected at different trophic levels so as to
form a number of feeding connections amongst different organisms of a biotic community.
Food webs are very important in maintaining the stability of an ecosystem in nature.
Ecological Pyramids:

An ecological pyramid is a graphic representation of an ecological parameter like

number, biomass or energy at different trophic levels in a food chain in an ecosystem. Pyramid is
a conical structure and in ecological pyramid the first trophic level forms the base and the
successive trophic levels above the base makes up the apex. Ecological pyramids are classified
into three types depending upon their nature.

1. Pyramid of number
2. Pyramid of biomass
3. Pyramid of energy

1. Pyramid of number: It is graphic representation showing the arrangement of number of

individuals of different trophic levels in a Food chain in an ecosystem. We find that the largest
number is of producers and the number keeps on decreasing as we move forward in the food
chain. For example in a grass land ecosystem, the producers which are mainly grasses, are
always maximum in number. This number then shows a decrease towards the apex, as the
primary consumers (herbivores) like rabbits, mice etc, are lesser in number than the grasses; the
secondary consumers, snakes and lizards are lesser in number than the rabbit and mice. Finally,
the top (tertiary) consumer’s hawks or other birds are less in number. Thus, the pyramid becomes
upright.

Tertiary
consumers
(Carnivores)

Secondary
consumers
(Carnivore
s)
Primary(carnivoores
consumers
( (Carnivores)
(Herbivores)
Producers

2. Pyramids of biomass: Biomass may be defined as the total weight of dry matter present
in the ecosystem at any one time. By using the weight of organisms in the different trophic levels
a pyramid of biomass results. Pyramid of biomass is a graphic representation of biomass present
per unit area in different trophic levels. In grass land and forest ecosystem, there is a gradual
decrease in biomass of organisms at successive trophic levels from the producers to the
carnivores. Thus the pyramid is upright. But in pond ecosystem, producers are small organisms
therefore, biomass shows an increasing tendency. Thus making the pyramid inverted in shape.

Large Fish Carnivor

Secondar
es
y
Zooplankton Herbivor
consumer
s es
Primary Phyt
(Carnivore
consum o Produce
s)
ers plan rs
Herbivores k ton

Producers
Grass Land Pond
3. Pyramid of Energy: It is a graphic representation of amount of energy trapped per unit time
and area in different trophic levels of a food chain. This pyramid represents the number of
calories transferred from one trophic level to the next. This pyramids is always upright as the
energy that flows always decreases with every trophic level. It is maximum in producers and
least in carnivores.

Tertiary
consumers
(Carnivores)

Fig: Pyramid of energy Secondary

consumers
Kcal per unit area within unit time, (Carnivores)
Primary
season or years in any ecosystem. consumers
(Herbivores)
Producers
Short Answer Questions
1. What is Food web?
2. Describe Detritus food chain?
3. Describe Pyramid of energy?
4. What are Pyramids?

Long Answer Questions

1. Describe the energy flow in an ecosystem?

2. What is food chain. Describe the different types of food chain?
3. Describe Ecological pyramids?