Question

Explain energy flow in ecosystem.

Answer 1

Energy flow in ecosystem:-

• We know that plants and photosynthetic bacteria (autotrophs), fix suns' radiant energy to make food from simple inorganic materials.
  

• All organisms are dependent for their food on producers, either directly or indirectly. So we find unidirectional flow of energy from the sun to producers and then to consumers.
• No energy that is trapped into an organism remains in it for ever. The energy trapped by the producer, hence, is either passed on to a consumer.
  
  • When the light energy falls on the green surfaces of plants, a part of it is transformed into chemical energy which is stored in various organic products in the plants.
  • When the herbivores consume plants as food and convert chemical energy accumulated in plant products into kinetic energy, degradation of energy will occur through its conversion into heat. When herbivores are consumed by carnivores of the first order (secondary consumers) further degradation will occur. Similarly, when primary carnivores are consumed by top carnivores, again energy will be degraded.