Food chains and food webs
Food chains and webs
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A food chain shows energy passing from one organism to the next, starting with a producer. Each arrow points the way the energy flows:
grass → rabbit → fox
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A food web is many food chains linked together.
Practice
In a food chain, the arrows show:
Each arrow points from the food to the feeder — the direction energy is transferred.
Who's who
| Type | Meaning |
|---|---|
| producer | makes its own food (usually by photosynthesis) |
| consumer | feeds on other organisms |
| herbivore | a consumer that eats plants |
| carnivore | a consumer that eats animals |
| decomposer | feeds on dead or waste material |
- Consumers are numbered by position: primary eats the producer, secondary eats the primary, then tertiary.
Practice
A producer is an organism that:
Producers make their own organic food (usually by photosynthesis) and start the food chain.
Practice
Match each organism type to what it eats.
Herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat animals, decomposers feed on dead/waste material.
You've got it
Key idea
- a food chain starts with a producer; arrows show energy flow; a food web links many chains
- producer (makes food) → consumers (feed on others); decomposers feed on dead/waste material
- herbivore eats plants, carnivore eats animals; consumers are primary, secondary, tertiary