Food Chains and Food Webs

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Ecosystem Noun

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[ee-koh-sis-tuhm]

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Ecosystem

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A community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment as a complete and functional system.

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Example: This image incorrectly shows a business or corporate 'learning ecosystem' and does not illustrate a biological ecosystem with living and nonliving components.

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Habitat Noun

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[hab-i-tat]

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Habitat

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The natural home or environment of an organism that provides essential resources like food, water, and shelter.

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Example: This image shows a pond habitat, the natural environment where organisms like frogs and fish live. It provides water, shelter, and food (plants, insects).

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Organism Noun

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[or-guh-niz-uhm]

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Organism

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An individual living being, such as an animal or plant, that is capable of growth and reproduction.

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Example: This diagram shows that an organism is any living thing, and classifies different types of organisms—like plants, animals, and fungi—by their role in a food web.

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Food Chain Noun

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[food cheyn]

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Food Chain

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A linear model showing the sequence of how energy is transferred from one organism to another in an ecosystem.

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Example: This diagram shows a food chain, where energy flows from the sun to a producer (grass), then to a primary consumer (grasshopper), a secondary consumer (bird), and finally a tertiary consumer (fox).

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Producer Noun

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[pruh-doo-ser]

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Producer

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An organism, typically a plant, that creates its own food through photosynthesis using energy from an external source.

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Example: This diagram shows how a plant, a producer, uses sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create its own food (glucose) and release oxygen.

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Consumer Noun

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[kuhn-soo-mer]

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Consumer

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An organism that obtains energy and nutrients by feeding on other organisms in a food chain.

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Example: A lion, a consumer, gets energy by eating another animal, a zebra. This shows how energy moves through a food chain.

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Herbivore Noun

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[hur-buh-vawr]

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Herbivore

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A type of consumer that is anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating only plant-based materials for its main food.

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Example: This image shows that herbivores are animals that eat plants by providing a clear definition and six different visual examples, such as zebras and cows.

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Carnivore Noun

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[kahr-nuh-vawr]

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Carnivore

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A type of consumer that primarily eats meat, which may be obtained through hunting or scavenging other animals.

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Example: A carnivore, like this lion, is an animal that gets its energy by eating the meat of other animals.

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Omnivore Noun

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[om-nuh-vawr]

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Omnivore

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A type of consumer that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter.

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Example: This image shows a bear, an omnivore, with options to eat both a plant (a leafy branch) and an animal product (meat).

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Predator Noun

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[pred-uh-ter]

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Predator

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An organism that naturally preys on others, actively hunting and killing other organisms for its food supply.

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Example: This food chain shows how energy moves from one organism to another. The owl is a predator because it hunts and eats the mouse for energy.