Facts about Food Chains
Food Chain:
All living things need energy in order to live and they get this energy from the food they eat. All food chains start with plants and end with animals. Plants are called producers because they produce their own food from sunlight, water, and the nutrition they get from the soil. Animals are called consumers because they cannot prepare their food and are directly or indirectly dependent on the plants for their energy.
Some animals eat plants and some eat animals for energy. Animals that eat only plants to get energy are called herbivores. For example: – deer, cows, and grasshoppers
Animals that eat other animals to get energy are called carnivores. For example: – tigers, lions, snakes
Animals that eat both plants and animals to get energy are called omnivores. For example monkey and bears.
Simple Food Chain:
A simple food chain starts with grass which is eaten by rabbits. Then the rabbits are eaten by foxes.
Big Food Chain:
A big food chain starts with acorns which are eaten by mice. The mice are eaten by snakes. The snakes are eaten by hawks.
At each link in the chain, energy is being transferred from one animal to another.
Marine Food Chain:
A marine food chain starts with Phytoplankton which is eaten by small fishes. The small fishes are eaten by medium-sized fishes. At last, medium-sized fishes are eaten by big fishes.
Food Web:
A network of many food chains is called a food web.
