Living Together

A real life food chain  A cheetah chases down and devours a zebra. The scene is not uncommon in Etosha, where the cycle of life, death, and birth has played out longer than any human can remember.  In this situation, the cheetah is the predator, the animal that is eating, while the zebra is the prey, the animal being eaten.

 Predators and prey comprise only a portion of what is commonly known as a food chain.  A food chain explains how food energy is transferred between living things in an environment.

 Every living thing in a food chain is either a producer or a consumer.  Producers, such as plants, obtain energy from non-living sources, while consumers get their energy by consuming other living things.  Every consumer is either a predator or prey.

Producers and Consumers  Producers make their own food.  Consumers eat other living things.

Herbivore

Omnivore

Decomposer

Carnivore

 Animals that are hunted and eaten are called prey.  Animals that do the hunting and eating are called predators.

Food Chain  A food chain shows a direct link between an animal and the thing it eats and is eaten by.

Food Web  A food web is a complex arrangement of food chains.

Figure it out! 1.The dog, boy, and squirrel all eat food. What are they called?  Consumers 2. Are plants such as lettuce and carrots producers or consumers?  Prodcuers producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer

? ? ? Questions  3. What do you call an animal who eats only beef and chicken?  Carnivore  4. What is an animal who eats only leaves, fruit, and nuts called?  Herbivore producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer

Questions ? ? ?  5. What is an animal who eats both fish and rice called?  Omnivore  6. What do you call the tiny organism that causes dead plants and animals to crumble and rot?  Decomposer producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer