Energy Cycles

How are the living members of a biome related?

The members of a biome are related by the ways they get their energy. A living organism will be one of the following:

• a producer that gets energy directly from the sun.
• a consumer that gets energy from eating other organisms.
• a decomposer that gets energy from the wastes of living organisms or decaying organisms.

Energy flows through a biome in different ways:

• photosynthesis.
• the carbon cycle
  
• the cycle of food.
• the water cycle.

This page will explore how these energy cycles work in a biome.

http://water.me.vccs.edu/concepts/oxcycle.jpg

All living things participate in the carbon cycle. It is used by plants and released by animals. However, carbon is also released into the atmosphere by cars and factories. When too much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere, it leads to big climate changes called global warming. When the climate changes, it affects all living things in a biome.

The following words are related to energy cycles:

• carbon dioxide-oxygen cycle
• greenhouse effect
• global warming
• carbon footprint
• atmosphere
• ozone
• respiration
• transpiration
• hydrologic cycle
• evaporation
• condensation
• precipitation
• water vapor
• water table
• herbivore
• carnivore
• omnivore

Need additional information? Try this Google Custom Search.

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/photosynth.gif

Plants get energy by absorbing sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and minerals. They use these things to make a sugar called glucose. This sugar gives plants their energy. Oxygen is also produced, but plants don't use this. They release the oxygen back into the air.

Unlike plants (producers), animals (consumers) can't use the sun's energy to make food. They must eat another organism to get its energy. This transfer of energy from one living thing to another is a food chain.

http://www.sciencebob.com/images/food_chain.jpg

In a biome, most organisms will eat more than one type of food. When food chains overlap, it is called a food web.

http://www.sciencebob.com/images/food_web.jpg

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/groundwater/images/groundwater.gif

Both plants and animals form an important link in the water cycle. All living things need water to survive, and they also release water back into the cycle.

There are many books in our library that will give you helpful background information on energy cycles.

As you use resources in this guide, you may find unfamiliar words or ideas relating to biomes. Use the links below if you need help defining a word or changing data from the metric system into standard English.