Energy flow

Energy flow refers to the movement and transformation of energy as it travels through ecosystems, from the sun through plants and animals, and ultimately back into the environment. In this process, energy enters an ecosystem when plants capture sunlight through photosynthesis, then moves to herbivores that eat those plants, and continues to carnivores that eat the herbivores, with some energy being lost as heat at each step. Understanding energy flow helps us see how all living things are interconnected and why there's always a limit to how many organisms an ecosystem can support.