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and in © 2016 The Regents of the University of Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t) Shutterstock; (bl) small_frog/E+/Getty Images ; (rt, rb) Cross Section of Taro Leaf around us in the form of carbon dioxide gas. dioxide gas. of carbon form the in us around is all carbon and of carbon, mostly made are molecules storage Energy . an in fuel that molecules storage energy the (such producers ) as Only make can contain as many. don’t others while molecules, storage of energy lots contain ecosystems alive. Some to keep those all molecules storage energy to of have lots need of organisms lots with Ecosystems fat. and starch, glucose, include molecules ’san storage body. Energy in released be can that storeenergy molecules These molecules. storage energy from comes this energy energy—and need organisms while others are relatively lifeless? To survive, life, much so support areas some Why do of anything. much not plants, no fish, no any organisms: hardly with area barren and dark dead zone—a a find you’ll dive lake of to the bottom, and the middle However, everywhere. to youbuzz if go the out insects and , shallow the in growing algae dive for ducks reeds, green bright the through lake of abig of is edge full life. dart Fish The Chapter Introduction 1: Life and Photosynthesis happens in called chloroplasts. cell parts leaf cells lake, not much life exists. life much not lake, a of darkest deepest, the In penetrate. can light where shallow the in living organisms more many are there lakes, deep In the water. into deep this penetrates Sunlight chloroplasts Sunlight and Life and Sunlight 1 sunlight, producers like plants and algae can can algae and like plants producers sunlight, more With life—than more others. much so molecules—and storage energy more many so have ecosystems some reason is one Sunlight sunlight. need producers to photosynthesis, do to get energy In order the photosynthesis. do can producers only so have them, producers Only chloroplasts. called tinyin parts cell place takes of photosynthesis process The fat. and like starch molecules, storage energy to make glucose other that use can ecosystem an in organisms the Then of glucose. form the in move into it matter and biotic matter abiotic from take carbon producers photosynthesis, Through photosynthesis. is called process This into glucose molecules and oxygen molecules. them changing molecules, water with molecules dioxide carbon the combine producers sunlight, water. and from air the from Using energy dioxide molecules take carbon in Producers 2 and oxygen. During this reaction, atoms are rearranged. molecule) storage (an energy glucose to form react water and dioxide carbon sunlight, from energy Using Sunlight and Life and Sunlight Photosynthesis c arbon dio mol mol wat ecul reactants ecul er es es xide fr om sunlight ener gy an energystoragemolecule. in carbondioxideendsuglucose you’ll seethatthecarbonwas this diagramofhotosynthesis, f youfollowthecarbonatomsin

chlorolasts in aleaf c arbon at chapters that follow. that chapters of the one read things, of living amount the on effect abig has of sunlight amount the where To ecosystems other about out find fewer organisms. support can sunlight less gets that ecosystem an while of organisms, lots support can of sunlight lots gets that ecosystem An ate plants. that the consumers primary the eating from molecules storage —are to energy get able more eat that ones consumers—the secondary number. in increasing Then reproduce, and to survive molecules storage energy the from energy use consumers Those producers. the eating from molecules storage energy more producers—get the eat that animals consumers—the molecules, storage energy make more producers As needs. energy their to meet molecules storage energy into more it turn and of the out carbon take They more photosynthesis. more do om an energystoragemolecule products mol o xygen ecul gluc es ose

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credit: (m) Shutterstock Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t, m) Shutterstock; (b) Karsten Schneider/Science Source the water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and dioxide into and oxygen carbon and water the they transform sunlight, from Using energy air. the dioxide from carbon and melted take from water in producers other and Plants photosynthesis. in aboom fuels sunlight that All never sun sets. the months, for a day: 24 is sunlight in Pole , hours North the However, is never sun seen. the the during months, for : the aday during hours 24 is darkness in Pole North the that means winter. in sun away the from and summer This toward in sun the points Pole North the sun, the around orbit its in tilts wayof the this transformation? Because causes What birds. and is alive insects air with The themselves. to feast hoping herds, of the edges the around lurk wolves and plants, the on feast animals of grazing herds Big everywhere. bloom Low plants it’s transformed. completely snow. summer, in the spot same If you the visit in for searching animals afew hardy and visible plants no with , -swept winter, in Arctic If you the visit you’ll adark, see Pole. Earth’s near North area is the Arctic The Chapter Arctic 2: aday. hours 24 almost dark is winter, Arctic the During from the sun in the winter. the in sun the from away and summer the in sun the toward pointed is Arctic the tilts, Earth way the of Because aday. hours 24 almost Arctic the on shines sun summer, the During Sunlight and Life and Sunlight 3 lifeless winter landscape. winter lifeless arelatively becomes more once Arctic the and descends, Darkness possible. as energy winter—not long little as using and all at eating the through hibernate away and themselves hide Some remain. afew animals Only . as winter the survive plants Many dormant. lie and photosynthesizing stop plants the away, dies sunlight the and ends summer As areas. to sunnier again they go away ends, summer When reproduce. and to feast summer in to Arctic migrate the animals other many and birds summer: in Arctic the in animals more are there reason However, Arctic. of the that’s only the not year-round the for boom residents population to a leads Reproduction animals. young other of form the in them for is available of food lots when just offspring having to , the reproduction their also predators Arctic food. is less there when for stored be can like which fat, molecules, storage energy to make glucose in other carbon the they use plants, the molecules). digest animals the As storage (and of plants energy of this bounty to time take advantage right the just at born are offspring their so reproduction their time live Arctic plant-eating that the in The animals to eat. animals for available bodies, their in stored are that molecules storage energy aday,24 producing hours constantly photosynthesize summer, can the plants Arctic in never sun sets the Because photosynthesis. of process the through happens transformation This molecule. storage of energy atype glucose, 4 Sunlight and Life and Sunlight to grow in the Arctic summer. Arctic the in to grow plants other and mosses allows sunlight of Plenty Arctic foxes have to scrounge for food during winter. during food for foxes to scrounge have Arctic Arctic. the in found mosses and grasses the eat summer, caribou the In

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t) Bryan and Cherry Alexander/Science Source; (m, b) Shutterstock Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t, b) Shutterstock; (m) Oxford Scientific/Getty Images Using energy from sunlight, the algae change change algae the sunlight, from Using energy water. with dioxide along take carbon in algae the water, in dioxide dissolved and is carbon There photosynthesis. water, perform algae the clear, the through filters sunlight shallow As ecosystem. reef the life to gives that to photosynthesis do ability it’s and their producers, are algae These each. cell one of just made even are algae tinier polyp However, photosynthesis. do tiny each inside plants—they not can’t animals, are polyps Why? sunlight. Coral on depend reefs Coral more. and sharks, crabs, sponges, shrimp, urchins, stars, them: in fish, makehomes that their organisms of different number huge is the reefs coral about miles) What’s(1,429 long! even amazing more kilometers to up may 2,300 be that reefs form skeletons together to hard stick Their polyps. coral of called of tiny up millions animals made they’re but rock, not—reefs structures living are like of may they Reefs look made are of sunlight. clear, in form reefs lots with water shallow Coral Clearand Water Chapter 3:Coral Reefs water. clear shallow, through shine can sunlight where places in thrive reefs Coral you can hear parrotfish munching on the coral. the on munching parrotfish hear can you reef, a near dive If you polyps. coral eat Parrotfish them! inside living algae green tiny the see can you polyps, coral of photo close-up this In Sunlight and Life and Sunlight 5 Sunlight truly is life to a coral reef. is life to truly acoral Sunlight before. life did it the reef—it can’t support askeletal becomes to sunlight access without reef coral A away food. swim to other or find off die coral the on depended that animals other and fish well. as The die soon polyps coral the algae, the from molecules storage to energy the access Without die. they quickly and molecules, storage of energy out run algae can’t The photosynthesize. polyps coral the inside algae the reef. sunlight, coral Without the reaching preventing from it sunlight, blocks water Muddy is threatened. ecosystem reef whole the polluted, or too muddy becomes reef above water acoral If the penetrate. can sunlight the that water clear on depend they also sunlight, on depend reefs Since of organisms. community ahuge support can reef coral one of sunlight, plenty With coral. eat that fish prey fish smaller onlarge the other and Sharks they need. molecules storage energy the getting polyps, coral eat of fish types Many reefs. huge forming reproduce, grow and polyps coral the molecules, storage of energy supply aconstant With needs. energy own their for by algae the produced molecules storage energy of the to some use able are polyps the polyps, coral the live inside algae the Because algae. of the bodies the in stored are molecules storage energy The molecule. storage of energy atype glucose, and molecules oxygen into dioxide molecules carbon and water the 6 Sunlight and Life and Sunlight organisms. of species different many for homes provide reefs water, coral clear healthy and sunlight With either died off or left in search of food. of search in left or off died either there lived that animals the of reef. Most coral this killed and sunlight the blocked water Muddy

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t) Shutterstock Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t) Philippe Psaila/Science Source; (b) Shutterstock stored in the bodies of the trees and plants plants and trees of the bodies the in stored are molecules storage energy These glucose. called molecule storage of energy a type and into water oxygen dioxide and carbon the change plants and trees the photosynthesis, of process the Through falls. that rain the all from water and atmosphere the from dioxide they take carbon in photosynthesis: to perform sunlight from energy the use branches their on growing plants smaller the and trees Rain bypowered sunlight. is canopy forest life rain of the vibrant The organisms everywhere. small other and insects and it on growing of plants kinds dozens with of different , is tree like forest a of arain branch Each branches. tree high on growing treetops, the in take up root plants Rain forest nesting. and mating, insects, or fruit eating forth, and back fly birds Colorful found. are forest rain the in organisms canopy,the most this is where and as known are trees forest rain of tall branches leafy The are. treetops definitely the life, and of full being as We of rain think usually the Rain Forest Floor Chapter Light 4: on Shafts species. different many support it helps which sunlight, of plenty gets canopy The canopy. forest rain the from insects collecting is scientist This A toucan eats fruit in the sunny rain forest canopy. forest rain sunny the in fruit eats A toucan Sunlight and Life and Sunlight 7 block the sunlight once more. once sunlight the block Eventually, and will grow tall trees young the floor, while. forest a life tofor rain the least at brings of sunlight shaft The to eat. animals for available they become where bodies, their in molecules storage energy the store plants The molecules. storage energy and oxygen changing dioxide carbon and water into photosynthesize, can plants these sunlight, to growing. access With start trees young and plants of sunlight, shaft In the to sprout. begin years for there lying may have that been seeds ground, floor. the warms forest the sunlight As hit of sunlight canopy, ashaft forest letting rain the in hole abig rips tree Afalling changes. However, that all falls, tree ahuge when canopy. forest rain lifeas the much as support cannot floor forest rain the that means of sunlight lack The to eat. animals for available molecules storage energy few and on going of alot photosynthesis not floor, is there that forest means rain the which on growing few relatively are plants well. There level that can’t at very photosynthesize plants floor, forest rain the on sunlight little is so there Because way the all todown ground. the penetrates forest rain the hits that sunlight of the 2% about only In fact, way down. its on sunlight of the canopy.the most Leaves block from place different shady—a very and dark floor, is forest hand, rain other on the The canopy. forest rain the in needs energy their meet can of organisms numbers huge available, are molecules storage energy many so Because to eat. animals other and birds, insects, for available become and 8 Sunlight and Life and Sunlight escape! escape! to water the of surface the over run and down jump danger, in can they When ponds. and lakes near trees forest rain in live lizards basilisk Green plants grow in the shaft of sunlight. of shaft the in grow plants of lots and down, Light canopy. the in hole a makes it forest, rain the in falls tree abig When many plants from growing there. preventing sunlight, little gets floor forest rain The

Matter and Energy in Ecosystems © 2016 The Regents of the University of California Permission granted to purchaser to photocopy for classroom use. Image Credits: (t, b) Shutterstock; (m) Fletcher & Baylis/Science Source