1. Food Chains and Food Webs

2. What is a Food Chain?
A food chain is the path by which energy passes from one living thing to another.

3. AUTOTROPH (Producers) HETEROTROPH (Consumers)
What’s in a Food Chain?
AUTOTROPH (Producers)
HETEROTROPH
(Consumers)

4. Autotrophs
An “AUTOTROPH” is any organism that can produce it's own food. It doesn't rely on any other organism.
Autotrophs are always the first organism in a food chain.

5. Examples of Autotrophs
Most plants are autotrophs because they get energy from the sunlight and create food using PHOTOSYNTHESIS.
Some algae (a protist) can do that photosynthesis thing, too.
Some bacteria are autotrophs, too. They can use naturally-occurring chemicals as a food source, and some types of bacteria have figured out how to do photosynthesis just like plants.

6. Heterotrophs
Have to rely on other organisms as a source of food because they cannot naturally make their own.
Another commonly used word for “heterotroph” is CONSUMER, but decomposers fall into this category as well.

7. Examples of Heterotrophs
All (known) animals are this.
Most Protists are this, too. Also, all fungi are this. Which means that DECOMPOSERS are included.

8. Four Types of Heterotrophs
Herbivores
Carnivores
Detritivores
Omnivores

9. Herbivores THESE GUYS ONLY EAT PLANTS: grasshoppers rabbits squirrels
deer
pandas

10. Carnivores THESE GUYS EAT OTHER ANIMALS: tigers lions hawks wolves
cougars

11. Detritivores THESE GUYS FEAST ON STUFF THAT IS ALREADY DEAD:
- Mushrooms
- Some bacteria
- Vulture
- Coyote
Can be “scavenger”
or “decomposer”

12. Omnivores
THESE GUYS DON'T REALLY CARE WHAT THEY EAT (Mostly anything):
humans
bears

13. Predator & Prey
In a food chain, you fall into one of two categories. Sometimes you can be both.
Predator- Hunts and eat other organisms.
Prey- Get hunted by other organisms.

14. What is a Food Web?
More realistic than food chains, cuz everything in nature is connected.
Its just a bunch of different food chains that are linked together.

15. Food Webs How many food chains can you make from this food web?
There are four. You will be expected to make an accurate food web for your plot.

16. Apex Predator
Some organisms just can't be messed within their ecosystem. If you are never something's prey, then you are considered an “Apex Predator.”
Just because you're an apex predator in one ecosystem doesn't necessarily mean that will always be the case.
Think about a human. You feel nice and safe living in the city, but I'm willing to bet that if we went camping in the Amazon Rainforest for a field trip, this classroom would be a bit more empty next week... Just sayin'.