Food Chains Flashcards
What is the definition of a food chain
It shows the transfer of energy from one organism to the next, starting with the producer.
What is the source of all energy
Light energy from the sun
What is the definition of a producer
Organisms that produce their own organic nutrients, using energy from the sunlight (Plants)
What is the definition of a Herbivore?
An animal that gets its energy from eating plants
What is the definition of a Carnivore?
An animal that gets its energy by eating animals
What is primary consumers
Herbivores - they feed on producers
Secondary consumers
Predators that feed on primary consumers
Tertiary consumers
Predators that feed secondary consumers
What is a Quaternary consumers
Predators that feed on tertiary consumers
What are decomposers
Bacteria and fungi that get their energy from feeding off dead and decaying organisms and undigested waste.
What do arrows show in food chains
Transfer of Energy from trophic level to the next
What is a food web?
A network of interconnected food chains
What do food webs show
They show interpendence - how the change in one population can affect others in the food webs
What do humans do that impact the population of plants and animals
Over harvesting food species
Introducing a foreign species to a habitat
What are trophic levels?
The trophic levels describe the position of an organism in a food chain, web or pyramid
