Food Chainsand Webs

Adapted from Reba Wiggins

Food Chain Order in which

animals eat plants and other animals.

Always begins with autotrophs.

Arrows show the flow of energy

Plant

Insects

Fish

Food Chain Producer = Autotroph

Consumer = Heterotroph

Plant

Insects

Fish

Herbivores Herbivores are

animals that only eat plants.

Carnivores Carnivores are

animals that eat meat.

Carnivores will also eat animals that eat plants.

Omnivores Omnivores will

eat both plants and animals.

Some animals eat both plants and meat.

People are omnivores

Insects eat plants Insects eat

plants. Fish, frogs, and

birds eat the insects that eat the plants.

This begins the food chain.

Birds, Animals and People Eat Fish

Birds and other animals eat the fish. The fish eat the plants and insects.

People eat fish too.

A Food Chain

Plant Insects

Fish

FrogBear

People

Food Web Interconnecting food chains

(overlapping)

Food Web 1° = Primary consumer eats

autotrophs (herbivore)

2° = Secondary or 2nd level consumers eat 1° consumer

3° = Tertiary or 3rd level consumer eats 2°

Decomposer (Saphrolyte)

Organisms that break down wasted and dead organisms

They get their energy this way and return nutrients to the soil (examples: fungi, bacteria)

Linking it to the Article… Mink Habitat: Salt marsh, estuary Mink adaptations: Webbed feet, oily

guard hairs

Indicator species: easily affected by changes in habitat (scientists can tell health of ecosystem)

Top level predator: No natural 2nd predators