Energy flow in an eco-systems, Biology

Assignment Help:

The capacity to do work is known as energy. In an ecosystem energy flows through one organism to another in the form of food. The flow of energy is uni-direction and non cycle and governed by laws of thermodynamics.

1.       Energy can neither be created nor can be destroyed but may convert into different forms.

2.       Energy Transfer is always accompanied by its dispersion. The second law of thermodynamics says that when energy is changed from one form to another, some of it is lost in the form of heat.

In an ecosystem the solar energy is trapped and stored by; producers (plants) in the form of chemical energy: producers form first trophic level and pass this energy to primary consumer is unidirectional and at successive trophic level the amount of energy decreases.

Green plants capture only a small fraction of solar energy(<5% of total solar radiation) and bulk of un-utilized energy is dissipated in the form of heat. Some of this energy is used by green plants for their respiration and maintenance and rest is convened into food which is eaten by herbivores. It has been estimated that herbivores use only 10% of the gross productivity of producers.

The herbivories use a part of this energy for their growth and maintenance and rest is given out as fecal matter. When carnivores eat herbivores they get only 10% of herbivores energy. The net energy keeps on decreasing with the increase of trophic level.

Only 10% of energy of a trophic level is transferred to higher trophic level. This is known as 10% law.

 

 


Related Discussions:- Energy flow in an eco-systems

Show appearance of food product, Q. Show Appearance of food product? Ap...

Q. Show Appearance of food product? Appearance can be judged by the eye. Appearance factors include such things as size, colour, uniformity, absence of any defect, shape, whole

Pteridophytes, What are the affinities of pteridophytes with gymnosperms?

What are the affinities of pteridophytes with gymnosperms?

How the visual images are projected, Since the visual images are projected ...

Since the visual images are projected in an inverted manner on the retina why don't we see things upside down? As the crystalline lens is a convex spherical lens it forms inver

What hormone can be used to overcome jet lag?, Q. What hormone can be used ...

Q. What hormone can be used to overcome jet lag? Jet lag takes place when an individual's biological clock is out of sync with local time. According to general rule it takes ab

Define vitamins requirement to avoid underweight problem, Define Vitamins r...

Define Vitamins requirement to avoid underweight problem? Vitamins and Minerals: If the diet provides good amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables, vitamin or mineral supplement

Why do male and female gametes diffrent from each other, Q. Concerning thei...

Q. Concerning their size and basic morphology how and why do the male and the female gametes differentiate from each other? The female gametes are big cells full of vitellus (n

A leaf is detached from a tree and tested with iodine, A leaf is detached f...

A leaf is detached from a tree and tested with iodine. The leaf turns dark blue.    (a) What does this result tell you?    (b) Why is this result not sufficient e

Centrioles, Centrioles Centrioles is also called cell centre . C...

Centrioles Centrioles is also called cell centre . Centrosome discovered by Benden . T. Boveri called it centrosome. Centrosome is present in all animal eukaryotic

Cellular type - endosperm, Cellular Type - Endosperm In this type, as...

Cellular Type - Endosperm In this type, as the name indicates, the division of the primary endosperm nucleus is immediately followed by the laying down of a wall, which is us

Genetics , Genetics Genetics is the study of heredity. It is an ancien...

Genetics Genetics is the study of heredity. It is an ancient discipline. At least 4000 years ago, in Sumeria, Egypt and other parts of the world, farmers recognized that they

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd