Food Chains and Food Webs

What is a food chain? A food chain is “a sequence of organisms, each of which uses the next, lower member of the sequence as a food source1”

Important facts about food chains In a food chain each organism obtains energy from the one at the level below. Plants are called producers because they create their own food through photosynthesis3 Animals are consumers because they cannot create their own food, they must eat plants or other animals to get the energy that they need.

Primary Producers Primary producers are “organisms capable of producing their own food4” We can also say that they are photosynthetic, use light energy. Examples of primary producers include algae, phytoplankton, and large plants. Primary producers are eaten by primary consumers (herbivores)

Primary Producers Cattails Marsh Mallow Blue Flag Iris Marsh Fern http://www.nicerweb.com/doc/class/pix/PRAIRIE/2005_07_18/Typha_angustifolia.jpg http://www.ncdot.org/doh/Operations/dp_chief_eng/roadside/wildflowerbook/graphics/images/page14a.jpg Blue Flag Iris Marsh Fern http://www.ontariowildflower.com/images/blueflag2.jpg http://wisplants.uwsp.edu/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=THEPALvPUB

Four types of consumer Herbivores: animals that eat only plants3 Carnivores: animals that eat only other animals3. Omnivores: animals that eat animals and plants3. Detritivores: Animals that eat dead materials and organic wastes

Other Ways to Classify Consumers Primary Consumers: Herbivores3. Secondary Consumers: Carnivores that eat herbivores3. Tertiary Consumers: Carnivores that eat other carnivores3.

Primary Consumers in Marshes Muskrat (eats mostly Cattails) http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/graphics/muskrat1.jpg http://www.advancedwildlifecontrolllc.com/images/muskrat.jpg

Primary Consumers in Marshes Wood Duck eats seeds like those of the Swamp Marsh Mallow and Blue Flag Iris http://dsf.chesco.org/ccparks/lib/ccparks/wood_duck_pair.jpg

Primary Consumers in Marshes Glassy-winged Toothpick Grasshopper – eats leaves of plants like cattail and pickerelweed http://bugguide.net/node/view/41662

Secondary Consumers Black Rat Snake eats eggs of animals like wood duck http://www.bio.davidson.edu/projects/tate/Terms.htm

Secondary Consumers Swamp Sparrow eats seeds but also insects like the toothpick grasshopper http://www.jeaniron.ca/2007/SwampSparrow6645.jpg

Tertiary Consumers Eat other animals in marsh including snake and sparrow Osprey www.montereybay.com www.audubon.org

Omnivore Racoon eats seeds, fruits, insects, worms, fish, and frogs… and pretty much anything else they can get their paws on! http://abouttitusville.com/BobPaty/Animals/images/Racoon.jpg

Detritivore Worms are common detritivores in many ecosystems including marshes

What is a food web? A food web is “an interlocking pattern of food chains2”

Symbiosis

Our goal is to answer these questions: What is symbiosis? What are the different kinds of symbiosis? What are some examples of symbiosis?

the act of living together What is symbiosis? the act of living together

Symbiosis What it means: Two organisms that live together Temporarily or for a longer time At least one of the organisms benefits from the relationship

What are the different kinds of symbiosis? Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism both organisms benefit one organism benefits one organism benefits one organism is unaffected one organism is harmed

Organism One Organism Two Mutualism Organism One Organism Two

Organism One Organism Two Commensalism Organism One Organism Two

Organism One Organism Two Parasitism Organism One Organism Two

What symbiotic relationship is this? Acacia Plant & Ants The ants lay eggs on acacia tree so they get a nice safe place for their eggs. The acacia covers the infected area with brown flesh (called a gall.) The plant has to use valuable resources to create the gall. parasitism What symbiotic relationship is this?

What symbiotic relationship is this? Anemone & Anemone Fish This fish lives its entire adult life among the tentacles of a bulb- tentacle sea anemone. Anemone fish do not get stung by the anemone as would most other fish so they get protection from predators. The fish often drop food scraps which the anemones can eat. mutualism What symbiotic relationship is this?

What symbiotic relationship is this? Boxer Crab & Anemones This Boxer Crab carries a pair of stinging anemones in its claws, which it uses to defend itself from predators. The anemones get to move around which increases their food supply. mutualism What symbiotic relationship is this?

What symbiotic relationship is this? Shark & Remora The remora attaches itself to the shark and saves energy since it doesn’t have to swim, and it gets to snack on the sharks kills. The shark doesn’t get anything. commensalism What symbiotic relationship is this?

Emperor Shrimp & Sea Cucumber What symbiotic relationship is this? This tiny emperor shrimp is riding along on the back of a sea cucumber (a long worm-like starfish relative) while it crawls along a sandy bottom. The shrimp gets to travel around under the protection of its much larger partner, and the sea cucumber doesn't seem to mind. commensalism What symbiotic relationship is this?

Moray Eel & Cleaner Fish What symbiotic relationship is this? This moray eel has a small fish cleaning between its teeth. The eel gets a clean mouth while the cleaner fish gets a nice meal. mutualism What symbiotic relationship is this?

What symbiotic relationship is this? Cattle & Cattle Egrets As these cattle walk around eating grass they stir up lots of insects. The egrets hang around and get a yummy meal of insects. What symbiotic relationship is this? commensalism

What symbiotic relationship is this? Clown Fish & Anemone This clown fish swims in the anemone and gets protection, since its predators will get stung. The anemone is unaffected. What symbiotic relationship is this? commensalism

What symbiotic relationship is this? Antelope & Ox Bird This ox bird hangs out on the antelope and gets a delicious meal of bugs living on the antelope. The antelope gets rid of parasites. What symbiotic relationship is this? mutualism

What symbiotic relationship is this? Loa Loa Worm & Human This worm infects human the blood stream and gets a nice warm safe home there. The human may go blind or have other complications as a result. What symbiotic relationship is this? parasitism

Goby and Alpheid Shrimp This alpheid shrimp (on the right) uses its strong claws like a bulldozer to create a burrow in the sand. The shrimp is nearly blind. It relies upon its partner, the sharp-eyed goby, to warn of danger. When a potential predator approaches, both animals disappear quickly into the burrow mutualism What symbiotic relationship is this?

Wrasse & Batfish Can you see the two cleaner wrasses are removing parasites from a batfish? One of the wrasses has entered the gill slit of the batfish, and may even enter its mouth in search of food. The batfish gets a bath and the wrasse gets a meal. What symbiotic relationship is this? mutualism

Hummingbird Moth & Flower mutualism This hummingbird moth is drinking the nectar of a flower. The flower gets pollinated (the moth brings pollen from other flowers) and the moth gets a tasty meal. What symbiotic relationship is this?

Answer each of following questions on a sheet of lined paper. Let’s Review Answer each of following questions on a sheet of lined paper. What is symbiosis? What are the different kinds of symbiosis? Describe one example of each kind of symbiotic relationship.