Transfer of Energy

The Sun is the principal source of energy input to biological systems.

Energy Transfer in Human

Humans are omnivores, having choice of what we eat, either be plants or animals.

Note that energy loss is huge between trophic levels,

so, humans would get more energy in this food chain: WHEAT → HUMAN

than, WHEAT → COW → HUMAN

as energy is lost from the cows, less available to pass on to humans if we eat cows.

Thus, it is more energy efficient for humans to be the herbivores than the carnivores.

Chapter 19: Definitions

• Herbivore: An animal that eats only plants.
• Carnivore: An animal that eats other animals.
• Omnivore: An animal that eats both plants and animals.
• Producer: An organism that makes its own food, usually through photosynthesis.
  • (e.g. plants, algae).
• Consumer: An organism that eats other organisms for energy.
• Primary Consumer: Eats producers.
• Secondary Consumer: Eats primary consumers.
• Tertiary Consumer / Top Predator: Eats secondary consumers.