EcologyFood Webs

Review: What are the components of a food chain?

2. PRODUCERS

3. CONSUMERS

4. DECOMPOSER

1. SUN

Review: What is a food chain?

• A food chain is a model• It shows how energy is transferred in

an ecosystem when one organism eats another

Which food chain is correct?• Remember: a food chain shows how energy is

transferred in an ecosystem when one organism eats another

Food Chains• Some food chains are very short, because some

animals will only eat one thing• For example,• The Panda only eats bamboo shoots

Food Chains• Do you think a food chain is an accurate

representation of what REALLY happens in an ecosystem?

Food Webs• Most animals eat more than one kind of food, and

so they belong to many food chains• For example,• In a forest ecosystem, a rabbit will eat many

different kinds of plants

Food Webs• A fox may eat a rabbit, but it also eats insects,

birds, worms and other small animals• When food chains start to become very complex,

they are called Food Webs

Food Webs• Food chains show only a single set of energy

transfers

• A Food Web is a series of interconnected food chains

• A food web more accurately shows the many connections and flow of energy in an ecosystem

Energy Transfer Relationships