Energy Flow

Energy Flow
Holly Regan
SCI/275
August 10, 2014
Stacy Murphy

Energy Flow
The position of an organism in a food chain is called its trophic level. Producers are on the first trophic level because they are the self-producers. Producers are organisms like grass, plankton, and plants. Herbivores are on the second level, which are considered the first-order consumers. The first-order consumers eat the grass, plants, or plankton, and these consumers are mainly insects, small animals or small fish. Carnivores are on the third level, which is considered the second-order consumer. The second order consumer feeds on the producers and first-order consumers.
When comparing pyramids (a) and (b) what is meant by " ...more food is available to those societies that eat lower on the food chain" is that by eating primarily vegetarian diet ten people can consume the recommended daily caloric intake of 2,000. By adding another trophic level involving a cow as the herbivore instead of ten people, they can only feed one person. The benefits of eating lower on the food chain is something I already do, while meat is rarely part of my daily caloric intake to eating much healthier, I do still eat meat once in a while.
The carbon cycle goes through a two-step process involving photosynthesis and respiration. Green plants undergo both photosynthesis and respiration. Fungi and animal life only respire. Carbon is "cycled" from green plants to the atmosphere and back to the plant. During photosynthesis, green plants use radiant energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates, which are high energy molecules. During the respiration step, the plants turn the carbohydrates back into water and carbon dioxide, releasing the energy that was used to build the carbohydrates. Animals also undergo a process of respiration. When humans and animals eat plants,