Name: Interactions Within Ecosystem
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 7 min 4 s
Description: In this video, we will learn how organisms, abiotic and biotic factors interact in an environment and how trophic levels work. Watch till the end!

Question

Describe with a diagram how energy flows through different trophic levels. Describe how transfer and circulation of material takes place in nature. State how recycling of materials benefits living organisms.

Accepted Answer

The diagram showing the energy flow in the food chain:
Grass → Grasshopper →Frog → Snake → Hawk.

The energy relationship between trophic levels is shown in the form of a pyramid.

Grasses are the producers in the first trophic level. They utilize solar energy to prepare food. They transfer this energy to a grasshopper, but only 10% of the energy is available to the grasshopper. This is according to the 10% law of energy transfer in an ecosystem framed by Raymond Lindeman.

The energy flow in this ecosystem will go as follows:

Grass (20,000 kcal) $\to$ Grasshopper (2000 kcal) $\to$ Frog (200 kcal) $\to$ Snake (20 kcal) $\to$ Hawk (2 kcal)

At each trophic level, the energy goes on decreasing and the animal placed at the apex will receive the lowest energy.

Decomposers like bacteria, fungi etc. act upon dead and decaying organisms to convert organic compounds into simpler forms. These simple substances get mixed up in the soil and are used as nutrients by the producers. From producers, it goes to consumers and so on. Thus, there is the recycling of matter which is done by decomposers that maintain balance in the ecosystem. Recycling of materials helps in the reuse of the same materials again and again. Decomposers provide space for a new life in the biosphere and without them, all living beings will ultimately cease to exist as dead remains and waste organic matter.

Describe with a diagram how energy flows through different trophic levels. Describe how transfer and circulation of material takes place in nature. State how recycling of materials benefits living organisms.

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