Food Chains and Food Webs
Why do scientists study food chains?
• Scientists study food chains to see how energy flows through organisms•Where do we get energy?–Food (plants, animals)–Where do those organisms get
energy?
Carnivores
Herbivores
Omnivores
Producers• Organisms that make their own food• Bottom of the food chain
Consumers• Organisms that do NOT make their own
food but have to find it• Primary consumers: middle of the food
chain; get their energy from producers• Secondary consumers: top of the food
chain; get their energy from primary consumers
Decomposers• Breaks down the soft tissues of dead
plants and animals• Two types of decomposers–1. Bacteria–2. Fungi
Scavengers• Organisms that are too lazy to go
hunt for their food
Predators• Animals that hunt
Prey• Animals being hunted
Endangered • organisms that are rare and
may eventually disappear
Extinct • organisms that are gone
According to Terracycle, 100 species of animals and plants become extinct
every week!!!
How do humans affect food chains?
Links• http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/
animals/kidscorner/games/foodchaingame.htm
• http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jams/science/ecosystems/food-chains.htm
• http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm
• http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm