FOOD CHAINS & WEBS

Energy Flow in Ecosystems 1. What provides the energy for the biological world?

THE SUN!

Energy Flow Organisms called autotrophs can use the sun’s energy to make their own food through photosynthesis. 2. How does the sun’s energy enter the biological world?

Energy Flow 3. What is photosynthesis? The process by which autotrophs convert the sun’s energy into organic material.

consumer 1 Energy Flow The sun’s energy flows into organisms that can change the sunlight into food then into organisms that eat them. This flow is: sunlight producer consumer 2 4. How does energy flow from plant to other organisms?

Word to Know producer detritivore omnivore carnivore herbivore consumer decomposer top carnivore

PRODUCERS What are producers? Autotrophs that trap solar energy into organic molecules during photosynthesis; can produce their own food Ex. Plants, algae and some bacteria `` sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

CONSUMERS What are consumers? Heterotrophs that eat other organisms to obtain energy Examples: deer, rabbits, cows, mice, lions, humans, hawks, snakes sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

HERBIVORES What are herbivores? Organisms that eat plants Primary Consumers Ex. Cows, caterpillars, bunnies sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

CARNIVORES What are carnivores? Organisms that eat meat (other animals/consumers) Secondary Consumers Ex. tigers, wolves, snakes, hawks sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

TOP CARNIVORES What is a top-level carnivore? Top-level carnivores eat secondary consumers; usually nothing feeds on them Ex. killer whale eating a sea lion or hawk eating a snake. consumer 3 sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

OMNIVORES What are omnivores? Consumers that eat both plants and animals Primary and Secondary Consumers Ex. bears and humans

Where do all the dead things go? They are eaten. YUMMMM! They decay. SMELLY! decomposer detritivore

Detritivore vs Decomposers Detritivores and decomposers both feed on the remains of dead plants and animals and other dead matter (detritus) They rely on dead tissues for nutrients. decomposer detritivore

Detritivores eat the remains of dead plants and animals Decomposers breakdown (decay) organic matter and feed on it Crabs, mites, earthworms, snails Bacteria & fungi Detritivore vs Decomposers

What is a scavenger? A scavengers is a type of detritivore that feeds on dead animal remains. Detritivore vs Decomposers Ex. vultures, sharks, maggots, hyenas

13. Why would they be called the environmental “recyclers”? They decompose excrement, dead bodies and leaf litter, returning nutrients to the physical environment. decomposer Detritivore vs Decomposers consumer 3 sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

Energy Flow 14. The series of steps in which organisms transfer energy by eating and being eaten is called a Food Chain sunlightproducerconsumer 1consumer 2

Food Chains & Food Webs 15. The steps in the transfer of energy from organism to organism in feeding relationships are called Trophic Levels. 16. How does a food chain describe this path of energy? (arrows) producerconsumer 1consumer 2consumer 3

Food Chains & Food Webs Name the number of the trophic levels in the food chain below. How do the trophic level numbers correspond with the “eating terms”? Trophic Level 1234 producerconsumer 1consumer 2consumer 3

Food Chains & Food Webs 17. Why is it that some energy is lost from one level to the next level? Some energy is lost as heat energy or in metabolism (daily life activities). producerconsumer 1consumer 2consumer 3

Food Chains & Food Webs 18. How much energy is actually passed on to the next level? (rule of thumb) 10% producerconsumer 1consumer 2consumer 3

Food Chains & Food Webs What vital “recycler” is not shown in this food chain? Upon which organism(s) would it feed? decomposer producerconsumer 1consumer 2consumer 3

Food Chains & Food Webs 19. If all of the snakes in this chain died, what would happen to the hawk? consumer 2 decomposer producerconsumer 1consumer 3 They would die or have to find a new food supply

Food Chains & Food Webs They would not be severely affected as they have a multiple food source. consumer 2 decomposer producerconsumer 1consumer To the decomposers?

Food Chains & Food Webs 21. Most organisms feed on more than one trophic level and feed on several different species at each trophic level. This is a food web.

Antarctic Food Web

Making a Food Web Use these organisms for Food Chains and Food Web Practice worksheet.