Food ChainsFood Chains

The sun is the source The sun is the source of energy for most of energy for most

ecosystems!ecosystems!

Plants use the sun to Plants use the sun to make their food using make their food using

photosynthesis.photosynthesis.

Plants are called Plants are called producersproducers because they because they

can can makemake or or produceproduce their own their own foodfood!!

This is the PRODUCE section of a food store. Look at what is in the produce section…plants like fruits and vegetables! http://www.flickr.com/photos/young-in-panama/119624721/

Some animals eat plantsSome animals eat plants..

Animals that eat only Animals that eat only plants are called plants are called

herbherbivores.ivores.Herbs are plants that we use for cooking.

Herbivores eat plants so think of them as eating herbs (plants)!

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/ingredients-herbs/tips-three-ways-to-preserve-fresh-herbs-088889

Those herbs look

yummy!!

Some organisms eat only Some organisms eat only animals!animals!

These are called carnivores.

Omnivores eat plants and Omnivores eat plants and animals.animals.

plantsanimals

ConsumersConsumers EAT! EAT!Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores

EAT! EAT!

They are called They are called consumersconsumers because because they they EATEAT..

We can make a We can make a food chainfood chain to to show the show the flow of energyflow of energy through the organisms!through the organisms!

Grass → Zebra → Lion

Here’s how we label the Here’s how we label the organisms in our food organisms in our food

chain.chain.

Grass → Zebra → Lion

Producer

1st Consumer

2nd Consumer

P C1 C2

A simple way to label!

If the number of If the number of zebra zebra increasedincreased, would the amount of , would the amount of grassgrass increase, decrease or stay increase, decrease or stay the same?the same?

The amount of The amount of grass wouldgrass would decreasedecrease because there would because there would be more zebras eating it.be more zebras eating it.

Grass → Zebra → Lion

If the amount of If the amount of grass grass decreaseddecreased, would the number of , would the number of zebrazebra increase, decrease or stay increase, decrease or stay the same?the same?

The number of The number of zebra would zebra would decreasedecrease because there would because there would not be enough food for the not be enough food for the zebras.zebras.

Grass → Zebra → Lion

If the If the lionslions started dying and started dying and decreaseddecreased in number, would the in number, would the number of number of zebraszebras increase, increase, decrease or stay the same ?decrease or stay the same ?

The number of The number of zebras would zebras would increaseincrease because there would because there would be fewer lions to eat them!be fewer lions to eat them!

Grass → Zebra → Lion

Food chains always start Food chains always start with a producer.with a producer.

Why?Why? Because the Because the

producer can producer can make food using make food using energy from the energy from the sun!sun!

After a while organisms die. After a while organisms die. Then the decomposers get Then the decomposers get

busy!busy!

http://oreneta.com/kalebeul/2007/04/28/escapee-carcass-in-field-with-not-a-bureaucrat-in-sight/

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Q-A/Mold.htm

http://polaris.umuc.edu/~meaton/edtc620/hyperlinks/decomposition.htmlhttp://polaris.umuc.edu/~meaton/edtc620/hyperlinks/decomposition.html

Fungi like mold and mushrooms and bacteria break down dead organisms and rot them away!! They are decomposers.

Decomposers break down Decomposers break down dead stuff and return dead stuff and return nutrients to the soil.nutrients to the soil. Fungi

http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/10834/enlarge

Bacteria