Food Webs and Ecosystems

Ecosystems All ecosystems contain many food chains. Each food chain contains both predators and prey.

Ecosystems An ecosystem is a community of living organisms (plants, animals and microbes) in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system.

Energy to Live In order for animals to live they need energy. Some animals get the energy they need from eating plants and other vegetation. Some animals get their energy from eating other animals. Some animals eat both plants and other animals.

Producers Nearly all food webs start with a green plant. Green plants are called producers because they produce their own food.

Consumers Primary, secondary, tertiary Herbivore - plant eater Carnivore - meat eater Omnivore - mixed plant/animal diet

Herbivores Animals that eat ONLY plants. Herbivores have evolved to eat plants. They need a lot of energy to stay alive. Many have to eat all day long to get enough energy. They have specialized teeth and stomachs to enable them to get the energy they need from plants.

Manatee A manatee is a mammal that lives in the water. They are herbivores. They eat 150 pounds of plants each day! Manatees live in ocean waters off the coast of Florida.

Carnivore An animal that gets its food from eating other animals Carnivores have evolved to eat meat. They have specialized teeth and stomachs to enable them to get the energy they need from the bodies of other animals.

Omnivore Animals that eat both plants and other animals Many will eat the eggs of other animals Omnivores have teeth and stomachs that enable them to eat and digest both plants and meat (animals).

Omnivore Some omnivores are scavengers which means they eat dead animals. Most will eat plants that produce fruit and vegetables and will eat both the fruit and vegetables. Humans are omnivores

Food Webs Food webs show what eats what in order to gain the energy it needs to live. Food webs use arrows to show what eats what. Eaten by: Eaten by:

Food chains that overlap are called FOOD WEBS.

Prey Animals that are hunted and eaten by other animals Some prey animals are herbivores. Some omnivores and carnivores are also prey to other animals.

Predators Animals that hunt and eat other animals Some animals are predators and prey. This means they eat some animals but are eaten by others. The top predator that is prey to no other animal is called an apex predator.

The Biotic Components of Ecosystems Producers (autotrophs) - Photosynthesis Consumers (heterotrophs) -Aerobic respiration Decomposers

Diamondback rattlesnake Red-tailed hawk Producer to primary consumer Gambel's quail Primary to secondary consumer Yucca Agave Jack rabbit Collared lizard Secondary to higher-level consumer Prickly pear cactus All producers and consumers to decomposers Roadrunner Diamondback rattlesnake Darkling beetle Bacteria Fungi Kangaroo rat

Writing Activity Write a paragraph describing how a food web works. Use the information you have learned in this lesson. Be sure to tell about animals that are both predators and prey.