Energy Transfer and Global Warming
Energy Transfer
In every ecosystem, energy is transferred along food chains from one trophic level to the next.
The trophic level is the position that an organism occupies in a food chain - what it eats and what eats it.
Energy is absorbed up a food chain, but at each trophic level, this amount of energy decreases rapidly
1st trophic:
- photosynthesis
2nd onwards:
- respiration
- excretion
- movement
- transport
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Global Warming
The Earth is heating up as CO2 levels are increasing – why?
Earth’s atmosphere is an insulating layer
It lets the Sun’s heat in but also stops some going out
Increase in carbon dioxide due to:
- 1. Deforestation (loss in photosynthesis)
- 2. Combustion of fossil fuels
Increase in methane due to:
- 1. livestock farming
- 2. rotting plant material
- 3. drilling for oil and gas
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