Key Idea.
Section 1
Energy Flow Upwards
In any ecosystem, energy flows from the eaten to the eater. Organisms in consumer populations obtain their Energy Storage Molecules by eating the resource population.
This dependency means the resource population acts as the energy source for the entire food chain above it.
Section 2
The Bottom-Up Effect
Because consumers need energy to reproduce, their population size tracks their food supply. An increase in the resource population provides more Energy Storage Molecules to the consumers.
With more energy available, the consumer population can reproduce more, leading to an increase in the consumer population size.
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Section 1
Energy Flow Upwards
In any ecosystem, energy flows from the eaten to the eater. Organisms in consumer populations obtain their Energy Storage Molecules by eating the resource population.
This dependency means the resource population acts as the energy source for the entire food chain above it.
Section 2
The Bottom-Up Effect
Because consumers need energy to reproduce, their population size tracks their food supply. An increase in the resource population provides more Energy Storage Molecules to the consumers.
With more energy available, the consumer population can reproduce more, leading to an increase in the consumer population size.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter