Understanding Energy Flow in a Forest Ecosystem

Energy Flow in a Forest Ecosystem

In a forest ecosystem, such as the scenario with squirrels, coyotes, and flies, what flows from one organism to the next as they eat is energy and nutrients. This process is represented in a food chain, a linear sequence of organisms that pass nutrients and energy from one organism to another through consumption. In the given scenario, the nuts are the producers, the squirrels are the primary consumers, the coyotes are the secondary consumers, and the flies, which feed on dead coyotes, are decomposers.

This energy transfer takes place across different trophic levels. The energy flows from the bottom (producers) to the top (apex consumers) of the food web. As the energy is moved from one level to the next, a significant amount of energy is lost which limits the number of trophic levels.