FOOD CHAINS & FOOD WEBS

Relationships exist in order for one or both organisms to get food (energy) Sunlight is the main energy on earth

Consumers (heterotrophs) = acquire energy from other organisms Producers (autotrophs) = produce their own food; get energy from sunlight Consumers (heterotrophs) = acquire energy from other organisms Examples: Herbivores = eat plants Carnivores = eat animals Omnivores = eat plants and animals Decomposers = feed on decaying/dead matter; return organic compounds back to soil

Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore Decomposers

Energy (food) is passed from organism to organism through food chains & food webs Food Chain = a series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating & being eaten Food Web = links all the food chains in an ecosystem together

Trophic Level = each step in a food chain or food web *1st trophic level is always a producer **2nd trophic levels and up are consumers

T1 = Producer T2 = Primary consumer T3 = Secondary Consumer T4 = Tertiary Consumer T5 = Upper Level Consumer

EXAMPLE FOOD CHAIN The arrows point in the direction that ENERGY is moving!

SAMPLE FOOD WEB

Homework Chapter 2 - Section 1 & 2 Worksheet Due Tues., Oct 6