Food Chain Notes

Food Chain:

A series of events in which one organism eats another and obtains energy

Example:

Grass -> Rabbit -> Coyote -> Bacteria

Producer: An organism that makes its own food

Symbol : P Example: Any green plant

Herbivore or Primary Consumer: Organisms that only eat plants

Symbol : C1 Example: Moose, Deer, Elk, Rabbit, Zebra

Carnivore or Secondary Consumer: Organism that eats other animals

Symbol: C2 Example: Coyote, Wolf, Shark, Lion, Snake

Omnivore: Organisms that eat other organisms and plants

Example: Raccoons, Black Bear, Humans

Scavenger: Animals that feed on

the bodies of dead organisms Example: Turkey Vulture, Hyena Decomposer: Organisms that break down

wastes and dead organisms and return the raw materials to the ecosystem

Example: Bacteria, Fungi Symbol: D/S

Try a Quiz!

Show Mr. Grindle when finished

Go to the corner where you think the animal or plant belongs (SKIP FOR NOW!!!) A: Herbivore (By the door) B: Carnivore (By the TV) C: Omnivore (ElK) D: Decomposer/Scavenger( In the back by

Spikes cage) E: Producer (center)

Food Chain Diagram

Producer C1 C2

Soil

Food Chain Diagram

Producer C1 C2

Soil

Decomposer/Scavenger

Food Chain Diagram

Producer C1 C2

Soil

Decomposer/Scavenger

sunlight

water

carbon dioxide

nutrients

Energy Pyramid

Energy Pyramid

C2

Energy Pyramid

C2

C1

Energy Pyramid

C2

C1

Producers

Energy Pyramid

C2

C1

Producers

D

EC

OM

PO

S

E

R

S

What does the energy pyramid tell us?

14a. The number of organisms at each level of the food chain

C2

C1

Producers

D

EC

OM

PO

S

E

R

S

What does the energy pyramid tell us?

14a. The number of organisms at each level of the food chain

14b. The energy decreases as you move towards the top of the pyramid.

C2

C1

Producers

D

EC

OM

PO

S

E

R

S

Energy Pyramid Simulation

Run the simulation. Place the animals in the correct location on

the pyramid.

Answer the following questions. 1. Using numbers, how did the bottom of the

pyramid compare to the top? 2. Did any animals/plant locations surprise you?

Why or why not?

Show Mr. Grindle when finished

Example food chains

Algae > tadpoles > bass > crayfish > soil P C1 C2 D/S

acorns> squirrel > fox > vulture > soil

Create a food Chain from the following individuals. Check with Mr. Grindle when finished

Shark (C2) ,Fish (C2), Phyoplankton, (C1) Zooplankton (P), Crab (S)