Radiation from the Sun is the
source of energy for most
communities of living
organisms.
Green plants and algae absorb a small amount of the
light that reaches them. They transfer from light energy
to chemical energy occurs during photosynthesis. This
energy is stored in the substances that make up the
cells of the plants.
The mass of living material (biomass) at each
stage in a food chain is less than it was at the
previous stage. The biomass at each stage can
be drawn to scale and shown as a pyramid of
biomass.
Materials decay because they are
broken down (digested) by
microorganisms. Microorganisms
are more active and digest
materials faster in warm, moist,
aerobic conditions.
Living things remove materials from the
environment for growth and other processes.
These materials are returned to the environment
either in waste materials or when living things
die and decay.