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energy flow
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Diagram illustrating energy flow through ecosystem trophic levels, showing energy from the sun absorbed by producers (plants), then transferred to a rabbit (primary consumer), a snake (secondary consumer), and an eagle (tertiary consumer), with energy loss as heat at each step. Diagram showing energy transfer through an ecosystem, with solar energy absorbed by plants (producers) at the base, then moving up to herbivores (primary consumers), small carnivores (secondary consumers), and large carnivores (tertiary consumers), while most energy is lost as heat at each step. An energy pyramid diagram showing four levels: producers like grass at the base, primary consumers such as rabbits above, secondary consumers like snakes next, and a tertiary consumer, an eagle, at the top. Arrows indicate energy transfer upward and energy loss at each level.
Discern between self-sustaining autotrophs and consumer heterotrophs and find their places in the food chain
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energy flow

biology
Also known as: energy transfer
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Diagram illustrating energy flow through ecosystem trophic levels, showing energy from the sun absorbed by producers (plants), then transferred to a rabbit (primary consumer), a snake (secondary consumer), and an eagle (tertiary consumer), with energy loss as heat at each step.
trophic pyramid Energy flow, heat loss, and the relative amount of biomass occurring at various trophic levels within a generalized land ecosystem.

Energy flow in biology describes how energy moves through an ecosystem. It begins with solar energy, which is captured by plants and other producers through photosynthesis. This process converts light energy into chemical energy stored in living tissue.12

This stored energy then flows to herbivores (plant-eaters) and subsequently to carnivores (meat-eaters). At each step in the food chain, a significant portion of energy is lost as heat, with only about 10 percent typically transferred to the next trophic level. This energy transfer is fundamental to all life, powering metabolic processes and growth.324

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
6 Britannica Sources
  1. biosphere - The photosynthetic process
  2. biosphere - Energy transfers and pyramids
  3. community ecology - Autotrophs and heterotrophs
  4. food web
  5. metabolism - The carrier of chemical energy
  6. Sun - Energy generation and transport

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