Food Webs And Food Chains

Front 1

Food Webs

Back 1

Within a food web are many food chains. A food web is a whole lot of food chains put together.
Starting from the producers and following the arrows until we reach the top predators (no more arrows) we can see many food chains.
For example,
plants -> mice -> fox
or
plants -> rabbit -> owl

Front 2

Food Chains

Back 2

A food chain is a way of showing what eats what and what producers what. In the way they eat it and who eats who. A food chain shows the energy from one living thing to another
- When we draw food chains, the arrows must show the direction of flow of energy
- The sun is not usually shown
- Decomposers are not usually shown
- The chain can be horizontal (side to side) or vertical (up and down)
- In which direction should the arrows go in a food chain?
The arrows must show the direction of the flow of energy
- What don’t you show in a food chain?
The sun and rain
- Can food chains be vertical?
Yes

Front 3

Energy

Back 3

Energy must be available for all organisms in an ecosystem.
But where does this energy come from?
The SUN

Front 4

Photosynthesis

Back 4

Plants and some other organisms, called producers, bring energy into the ecosystem by photosynthesis.
When animals eat plants, they pass this energy on.
The energy can be passed on further down the line when animals eat each other.
Finally, as each organism dies, the energy is passed to the organisms that decompose them.

Front 5

Interdependence

Back 5

In a healthy ecosystem, the organisms exist in a balanced state.
If the balanced shifts, many organisms in the ecosystem could be affected.
For example, what
would happen if the
number of herbivorous
insects decreased
dramatically?

Front 6

Producers

Back 6

All ecosystems require producers

Front 7

Decomposers

Back 7

All ecosystems require decomposers and Food Webs always include the decomposers

Front 8

Consumers

Back 8

An organism, usually an animal, that feeds on plants or other animals.

Front 9

Organisms

Back 9

A living thing

Front 10

Habitat Requirements

Back 10

An organism will only live in a habitat that is able to meet all of its needs.

Front 11

Habitat

Back 11

The type of environment where an organism lives.

Front 12

Biotic Factors

Back 12

Living things that affect the survival of an organism

Front 13

Abiotic Factors

Back 13

Non-living things that affect the survival of an organism