Living TogetherLiving Together

A real life food chainA real life food chain

A cheetah chases down A cheetah chases down and devours a zebra. The and devours a zebra. The scene is not uncommon in scene is not uncommon in Etosha, where the cycle Etosha, where the cycle of life, death, and birth of life, death, and birth has played out longer has played out longer than any human can than any human can remember. remember.

In this situation, the In this situation, the cheetah is the cheetah is the predatorpredator, , the animal that is eating, the animal that is eating, while the zebra is the while the zebra is the preyprey, the animal being , the animal being eaten. eaten.

Predators and prey comprise only a Predators and prey comprise only a portion of what is commonly known as a portion of what is commonly known as a food chainfood chain. .

A food chain explains how food energy is A food chain explains how food energy is transferred between living things in an transferred between living things in an environment. environment.

Every living thing in a Every living thing in a food chain is either a food chain is either a producerproducer or a or a consumerconsumer..

Producers, such as Producers, such as plants, obtain energy plants, obtain energy from non-living from non-living sources, while sources, while consumers get their consumers get their energy by consuming energy by consuming other living things. other living things.

Every consumer is Every consumer is either a predator or either a predator or prey.prey.

Producers and Producers and ConsumersConsumers

ProducersProducers make their own food. make their own food. ConsumersConsumers eat other living things. eat other living things.

HerbivoreHerbivore

OmnivoreOmnivore

DecomposerDecomposer

CarnivoreCarnivore

Animals that are hunted and eaten are Animals that are hunted and eaten are calledcalled prey. prey.

Animals that do the hunting and eating Animals that do the hunting and eating are called are called predators.predators.

Food ChainFood Chain

A A food chainfood chain shows a direct link shows a direct link between an animal and the thing it eats between an animal and the thing it eats and is eaten by. and is eaten by.

Food WebFood Web

A A food webfood web is a complex arrangement of is a complex arrangement of food chains. food chains.

Figure it out!Figure it out!

1.1. The dog, boy, and squirrel all eat food. The dog, boy, and squirrel all eat food. What are they called?What are they called?

ConsumersConsumers

2. Are plants such as lettuce 2. Are plants such as lettuce

and carrots producers or and carrots producers or

consumers?consumers? ProdcuersProdcuers

producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer

? ? ? Questions? ? ? Questions

3. What do you call an animal who eats 3. What do you call an animal who eats only beef and chicken?only beef and chicken?

CarnivoreCarnivore 4. What is an animal who eats 4. What is an animal who eats

only leaves, fruit, and nuts called?only leaves, fruit, and nuts called? HerbivoreHerbivore

producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer

Questions ? ? ?Questions ? ? ?

5. What is an animal who eats both fish 5. What is an animal who eats both fish and rice called?and rice called?

OmnivoreOmnivore 6. What do you call the tiny 6. What do you call the tiny

organism that causes dead plants organism that causes dead plants

and animals to crumble and rot?and animals to crumble and rot? DecomposerDecomposer

producers consumers herbivore carnivore omnivore food chain food web predator prey decomposer