The word food web and food chain refers to organisms that depend on each for food. A food chain is a sequence of organisms that feed on each other. Although the design of a food chain can vary by ecosystem, all food chains are made up of the same basic trophic levels. Trophic levels are the levels within the food chain where an organism obtains its energy. The tropical levels contain the producer, consumer and the decomposer.
Food chain can also be represented by pyramid
The above energy pyramid shows many grass providing food and energy to zebras on top. There are fewer zebras than shrubs & grass and even fewer lions than zebras, as we go further along a food chain, there are fewer and fewer consumers. In other words, a large mass …show more content…
Both energy and nutrients flow through a food web, moving through organisms as an organism above them in the food web consumes them. A single path of energy through a food web is called a food chain.
In the picture to the right, there are multiple lines from one organism to another. We see that more than just more than just the grasshopper eats the grass in the bottom right hand corner; it is also a food source for the rabbit and the deer. In this food web, there are many top carnivores, not just one. Which they are owl, the hawk and the fox. Owl, the hawk, and the fox are shown as secondary and tertiary consumers. In this food web the deer is the primary consumer because it only feeds on plants, which makes it an herbivore. Food webs are more complex than food chains, but they represent what goes on in real life much better than a food chain. Producers are organisms that can make their own food using energy and simple inorganic compounds. Producers are also called autotrophs. For example, green plants are autotrophs because they manufacture their food they need through photosynthesis. The balance chemical equation for photosynthesis is 6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + …show more content…
Consumers are subdivided into three groups called primary, secondary and tertiary consumers. Animals that eat another organisms such as plant to obtain nutrient are called herbivores (Primary consumers). Animals like lions and tiger that eat other animals are called carnivores; carnivores that eat herbivores are called secondary consumers while carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers. Animals including human being that both eat animals and plant are called omnivores. Then there are decomposers (bacteria, fungi, and even some worms), which feed on decaying matter. These decomposers speed up the decaying process, which releases mineral salts for food chain so that plant can gain
Food chain can also be represented by pyramid
The above energy pyramid shows many grass providing food and energy to zebras on top. There are fewer zebras than shrubs & grass and even fewer lions than zebras, as we go further along a food chain, there are fewer and fewer consumers. In other words, a large mass …show more content…
Both energy and nutrients flow through a food web, moving through organisms as an organism above them in the food web consumes them. A single path of energy through a food web is called a food chain.
In the picture to the right, there are multiple lines from one organism to another. We see that more than just more than just the grasshopper eats the grass in the bottom right hand corner; it is also a food source for the rabbit and the deer. In this food web, there are many top carnivores, not just one. Which they are owl, the hawk and the fox. Owl, the hawk, and the fox are shown as secondary and tertiary consumers. In this food web the deer is the primary consumer because it only feeds on plants, which makes it an herbivore. Food webs are more complex than food chains, but they represent what goes on in real life much better than a food chain. Producers are organisms that can make their own food using energy and simple inorganic compounds. Producers are also called autotrophs. For example, green plants are autotrophs because they manufacture their food they need through photosynthesis. The balance chemical equation for photosynthesis is 6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + …show more content…
Consumers are subdivided into three groups called primary, secondary and tertiary consumers. Animals that eat another organisms such as plant to obtain nutrient are called herbivores (Primary consumers). Animals like lions and tiger that eat other animals are called carnivores; carnivores that eat herbivores are called secondary consumers while carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers. Animals including human being that both eat animals and plant are called omnivores. Then there are decomposers (bacteria, fungi, and even some worms), which feed on decaying matter. These decomposers speed up the decaying process, which releases mineral salts for food chain so that plant can gain