Energy transfer in ecosystem

1. The prime source of energy in living things is the sun. Energy from the sun enters the ecosystem through the plants (photosynthesis) and the flow of energy within an ecosystem can be shown by food chains and food webs.
2. The food chain shows the feeding relationship between living things. Each organism in the food chain is called a link.
3. A food chain starts with green plants which are the producers. Animals that eat only plants are the primary consumers and animals that eat other animals are called the secondary consumers.
4. Interconnected food chains constitute a food web.
5. As energy passes along a food chain, the amount of energy transferred gradually decreases due to energy lost to the environment at each link. Only about 10% of the energy available at one link in a food chain is passed on to the next link.
6. The number of organisms decrease from one link to another along the food chain. This gives a pyramid of numbers for living things.
7. The balance between the number of plants and animals in and ecosystem is called the balance of nature.