Food chains & food webs

What is ecology?

The study of how life interacts with its environment

Info on food chains

• Energy arrives on Earth as radiation from the sun in the form of sunlight

• This light is used in photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose - used for respiration and to supply energy to the plant ( producer )

What is a food chain?

A food chain shows the flow of energy and materials from one organism to the next in a habitat. It begins with a producer

What is meant by the term ‘trophic level’?

The position of an organism in a food chain, food web or pyramid. e.g first, second third tropic level

ORGANISM - Producer (how do they obtain energy)

Using light energy to produce food by photosynthesis

ORGANISM - Primary consumer (how do they obtain energy)

Eating producers, most are herbivores

ORGANISM - Herbivore (how do they obtain energy)

Eating only plants

ORGANISM - Secondary consumer (how do they obtain energy)

Eating primary consumers, most are carnivores

ORGANISM - Carnivore (how do they obtain energy)

Eating only other animals

ORGANISM - Tertiary consumer (how do they obtain energy)

Eating secondary consumers

ORGANISM - Quaternary consumer (how do they obtain energy)

Eating tertiary consumers

ORGANISM - Omnivore how do they obtain energy)

eat both animals and plants, so can occupy more than one trophic level in a food chain

ORGANISM - Decomposer (how do they obtain energy)

Feeding on dead and decaying organisms, and on the undigested parts of plant and animal matter in faeces

What is meant by ‘food webs’

A food web is a network of interconnected food chains. It shows the energy flow through part of an ecosystem.Its a more realistic view on the ecosystem.