KEY CONCEPT Food chains and food webs model the flow of energy in an ecosystem.

1
KEY CONCEPT Food chains and food webs model the
flow of energy in an ecosystem.
2

• A food chain is a model that shows a sequence of
  feeding relationships.
• A food chain follows the connection between one
  producer and a single chain of consumers within
  an ecosystem.

3

• A food web emphasizes complicated feeding
  relationships and energy flow in an ecosystem.

ENERGY
4

• Consumers are not all alike.

• Herbivores eat only plants. Ex grasshopper
• Carnivores eat only animals. Ex Lion
• Omnivores eat both plants and animals. Ex Bears
• Detritivores eat dead organic matter. Ex Worms,
  slugs
• Decomposers are detritivores that break down
  organic or dead matter into simpler compounds.
  Ex bacteria, Fungi

5

• Specialists are consumers that primarily eat one
  specific organism (they only eat one thing) Ex
  Bamboo is 99 of a pandas diet

• Generalists are consumers that have a varying
  diet (they eat a lot of different things) Ex
  Gray wolf eats elk, moose, deer, and mice

6

• Trophic levels are the nourishment levels in a
  food chain.

7

• Carnivores that eat carnivores
• Ex Hawk eating rabbit

ENERGY

• Carnivores that eat herbivores
• Ex Rabbit eating grasshopper

• Herbivores that eat producers
• Ex grasshopper eating grass

8

• Omnivores, such as humans that eat both plants
  and animals, may be listed at different trophic
  levels in different food chains.
• If you are eating a salad you are.?
• a primary consumer (omnivore eating a producer)
• If you are eating a hamburger you are.?
• a secondary consumer (omnivore eating a
  herbivore)
• If you are eating shark soup, you are.?
• a tertiary consumer (omnivore eating a carnivore)