Ecosystems
Food chains, food webs, balance in nature
Food Chains and Food Webs
An ecosystem includes all the living things in an area and their environment. Energy flows from the sun to plants (producers) to animals (consumers). A food chain shows one path of energy. A food web shows many connected food chains.
Example
A South African Food Chain
Sun → Grass (producer) → Impala (herbivore) → Cheetah (carnivore) → Decomposers (bacteria, fungi)
If cheetahs disappear, impala numbers increase → overgrazing → less grass → impala starve. Every part of the chain is important!
Note
Remember
Producers make food (plants). Herbivores eat plants. Carnivores eat animals. Omnivores eat both. Decomposers break down dead things. If one part of a food web is removed, it affects the whole ecosystem.
Key Vocabulary
EcosystemAll living and non-living things interacting in an area
Food chainA path showing how energy passes from one living thing to another
ProducerA living thing that makes its own food (plants)
ConsumerA living thing that eats other organisms for energy
SASL Avatar
Loading avatar...
1 / 4
Ecosystem
Speed: