The main difference between energy flow and nutrient cycling is that energy flow is the transfer of energy in a linear and non-cyclical way from one trophic level to another, whereas the nutrient cycle is the movement of chemicals from one organism to another.

Energy flow versus nutrient cycle

Energy flow is the transfer of energy in a non-cyclical and linear way from one trophic level to another, while nutrient cycling is the back and forth movement of chemical elements between organisms. The last source of energy in the energy flow is sunlight; conversely, in the nutrient cycle, nutrients are always present in the soil, often the atmosphere or the lithosphere (reservoir). In energy flow, energy loss occurs at each trophic level primarily as the heat used by organisms for respiration; On the other hand, in the nutrient cycle, the nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem without loss of nutrients. In the energy flow, the energy from the sun enters as light and leaves mainly as heat from the ecosystem; the other way,

Comparative chart

The transfer of energy in a linear and non-cyclical way from one trophic level to another through a food chain and a food web is known as energy flow. Each step of the food web or food chain is called a trophic level. Energy is transmitted at trophic levels from one to another, and each time energy flows, organisms in an ecosystem lose about 90% of energy due to respiration. This flow means that the main consumer in a food chain gets the least amount of energy, since much energy has been lost from the food chain between trophic levels. The last source of energy in the energy flow is sunlight.

Energy flow scenario

• Primary producers: solar energy fixed by primary consumers, photoautotrophs like green plants. These consumers absorb most of the energy deposited at 10% through digestion and convert it into the form of energy they need.
• Secondary consumers : primary consumers then consumed by secondary consumers such as carnivores. Although omnivores also consume them. 1% of the energy transferred to secondary consumers
• Consumers tertiary : the tertiary consumers as predators then consume secondary consumers and the remaining 0.1% is transferred to them as they are present in the top of the chain.
• Decomposers: the final link in the chain are decomposers that break down organic matter from tertiary consumers and release nutrients to the soil. Decomposers play an important role in life cycles.

The back and forth movement of chemicals and nutrients between organisms and their physical environment without any loss in an ecosystem is called nutrient cycling. Most of it starts from the nutrient reserve to the producers, from the producers to the consumers, from the consumers to the decomposers and then back to the nutrient reserve. Nutrients are always present in the soil, often in the atmosphere or the lithosphere (reservoir). Nutrient cycling is a cyclical way of moving back and forth between living organisms. Plants receive nutrients from the soil and then chemically combine them with carbon dioxide and water from the air to make food. This food is passed on to animals as necessary nutrients and along the food chain as the animals eat each other. All of this returns to the ground as decomposing bodies when animals die or excrete waste. Decomposers break down organic matter, releasing chemicals into the soil. These are then used again by the plants and start the cycle again.

Key differences

1. Energy flow is the transfer of energy in a non-cyclical and linear way from one trophic level to another, while nutrient cycling is the back and forth movement of chemical elements between organisms.
2. The last source of energy in the energy flow is sunlight; conversely, in the nutrient cycle, nutrients are always present in the soil, often the atmosphere or the lithosphere (reservoir).
3. In energy flow, energy loss occurs at each trophic level primarily as the heat used by organisms for respiration; on the other hand, in the nutrient cycle, nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem without loss of nutrients.
4. In energy flow, energy from the sun enters as light and leaves mainly as heat from the ecosystem; conversely, the nutrients present in the nutrient cycle in the soil are reused and recycled in an ecosystem.
5. The energy in the energy flow is not recycled but is mainly released as heat during decomposition by decomposers, while decomposers such as bacteria, fungi, etc., play a vital role in the nutrient cycle without any loss in the ecosystem.

The above discussion concludes that energy flow is the transfer of energy in a linear and non-cyclical way from one trophic level to another, while nutrient cycling is the movement of chemicals between organisms.