4.8: Understand the Transfer of Substances and of Energy Along a Food Chain

FOOD CHAINS: Shows the feeding relationships between living organisms

TRANSFER OF SUBSTANCES AND ENERGY: 

TRANSFER OF SUBSTANCES AND ENERGY IN FOOD CHAIN

Diagram showing the Transfer of Energy in Food Chain

EXPLANATION: Energy enters most ecosystems in the form of sunlight, where it is converted into chemical energy by producers via Photosynthesis However, as not all energy stored in organic molecules is transferred via feeding, only 10% of energy is passed on from one trophic level to the next

ENERGY IS LOST TO: RESPIRATION Energy is lost as heat energy via respiration to enable movement of an organism     2.   INCOMPLETE CONSUMPTION Energy may be lost as not all of food may be consumed by an organism (e.g Bones or Fibres)     3.   EGESTION / EXCRETION Energy may be lost due to incomplete digestion, resulting in energy loss via egestion to produce faeces which is broken down by Decomposers