Food Chains and Food Webs

What's for dinner?"

Food Chains

A food chain is the sequence of who eats what in a ecosystem.

Food Chains

A food chain starts with an energy source. The sun Deep sea vents

In our woods, what was the primary energy source?

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Food Chains

The 1rst link in the chain is an organism that makes its own food from the energy source. Usually photosynthesis

These are called Primary Producers Or Autotrophs.

Food Chains

In our woods, what are the Autotrophs?

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How ‘bout the pond, what are the Primary Producers?

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Food Chains

Next come organisms called primary consumers. These are the organisms that eat the

autotrophs.Organisms that eat plants are called

herbivores. An example is a bunny that eats grass

Food Chains

Next link in the chain are the animals that eat herbivores.

These are called secondary consumers. an example is a snake that eat bunnies.

Food Chains

These animals (the secondary consumers) are eaten by larger predators called tertiary consumers. For example, owls eat snakes...

Check out these food chains.

Food Chains Primary producers are autotrophs. Primary consumers are herbivores (plant-eaters).

Eat secondary consumers.

Secondary consumers are carnivores (meat-eaters) or omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants).

Eat secondary consumers.

Tertiary consumers are carnivores or omnivores Eat secondary consumers.

Quaternary consumers are carnivores or omnivores Eat tertiary consumers.

Food Chains

The arrows in a food chain show the flow of energy, from the source to a top predator. As the energy flows from organism to organism, energy is lost at each step.

Food Chains

A network of many food chains is called a food web.

More Players in a Food Web

When any organism dies, It is eaten by detrivores

• (worms, maggots,crabs) It is broken down by decomposers

• (bacteria, fungi)

Food Webs

Food Webs

Food Webs

Food Webs