2. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Overview This slide set can be used for
revision purposes. In this slide presentation, you will explore
feeding inter-relationships in ecosystems. This slide set relates
to the following Integrated Science lesson: You can access the
subtopics in the Menu at the top of the slides. 2 Module 1: Unit 2:
Lesson 7 Interactions in an ecosystem
3. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Objectives When you complete this slide set you
will be able to: discuss feeding inter-relationships within an
ecosystem. construct a simple food-energy chain. use food-energy
chains to build a food-energy web. demonstrate an awareness of the
importance of plants in making food and energy available to all
animals. show an understanding that the removal of any population
from an ecosystem can adversely affect other feeding
inter-relationships within that ecosystem. describe a typical
ecological pyramid used to show feeding relationships. show
understanding that there are other types of interactions within an
ecosystem. 3
4. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Introduction Have you ever thought about how
you get food and where it actually comes from?? 4
http://schools.bcsd.com/fremont/4th_Sci_Life_food_chains.htm No!
Were not talking now about going to the super-market or to the
market to buy stuff. What is the real source of our food? Is it the
same for animals like these? Well Lets find out!
5. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Feeding inter-relationships in an ecosystem The
interactions of the biotic components are an important feature of
an ecosystem. Plants and animals interact with certain abiotic
factors in the ecosystem e.g. gases, water, and also with each
other, especially for feeding -- e.g. as producer, consumer,
decomposer, and which under normal circumstances result in balance
in the ecosystem. Some other examples of feeding interactions are:
parasitism, commensalism, symbiosis and predator-prey
relationships. 5
6. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Feeding inter-relationships in an ecosystem
Look at these example of feeding interactions. They are important!
Through them, organisms gain food & energy for various
activities. 6 dartfrogeducation.com Which of these animals are
acting as predators as they try to get food? The mongoose (middle)
can be found in Jamaica. Watch this video >
http://www.teluglobe.com/funtertainment/videos/the-
fight-i-always-wanted-to-see-cobra-vs-mongoose
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites /animals/8603.php Daphnie
Morrison 2013
7. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Feeding inter-relationships in an ecosystem
From previous lessons you learnt the important role of plants in
the ecosystem. State the role of plants when considering the
feeding relationships in an ecosystem. Write your response in the
box below in one -two paragraphs. You must be in Slide Show view to
type/delete text in the box. 7 Plants are important because they
are the only living organisms that can convert the suns energy, in
the process of photosynthesis, to a form that is accessible and
usable by themselves and animals.
8. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Feeding inter-relationships in an ecosystem 8
Carbon dioxide from the air Energy from Sunlight (or light) Water
and minerals ions/alts absorbed from the soil Food some used by
plant; some stored JUST IN CASE YOU FORGOT! Oxygen formed in
photosynthesis -- some given off and some used during respiration
to release energy stored in food
9. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem Food
energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy webs
Ecological Pyramids Food-energy chains What are your feeding
inter-relationships with other biotic elements around you?
We-llheres that curried goat meal you ate yesterday Right?. M-m-mm
delicious meat!! 9 Image source - midtownlunch.com But where did
the curried meat come from?? ? ?
http://www.fotosearch.com/FSD297/x28117423/
10. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Aa-a-h-h Yes the goat! Food-energy chains
10 Wonder what it got to eat to make it grow so healthy and its
meat so tasty? Of course! That goats been eating mangoes! It got
both food and energy.
11. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids So lets see now! Energy from sunlight was
converted in the mango leaves and stored in mangoes as chemical
energy. The goat ate mangoes, and got both food and energy. Then
people ate goat flesh in which is food/energy. Food-energy chains
11 When we show such a feeding relationship, we call that a
food-energy chain! Why do you think it has that name? Tell your
teacher what you think. Need help? Look at another example on the
next slide. MORE
12. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy chains 12 Image of cow -
http://home-su-cool.blogspot.com/2011/01/c-cow-unit-plan.html When
one organism eats another as food, it gets the nutrients and
energy. So, in a food- energy chain both food and energy are passed
along from one organism to another. Why do you think the feeding
relationship is called a food-energy chain? Write your response in
the box below. Click the CHECK button for feedback.
13. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy chains Feedback continued: Did
you also consider these points ? The word chain in the name
food-energy chain indicates that each organism is linked to others
(for food) just the same way the links of a real chain are joined
to each other. Also, the arrows show who eats what! They point to
the organism into which food and energy is going during the process
of nutrition . But it is not merely food (e.g., stored in the grass
leaves) that is transferred! Involved, also, is the passing of
energy e.g. from the sun into green plants where it is converted to
chemical energy when the plants carry out photosynthesis. Then
energy is transferred into animals in the form of stored chemical
energy in foods eaten, so they can each carry out their various
activities. BOTH food and energy are involved in the feeding of one
organism on another. So, we correctly speak of a food-energy
chain!.
14. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy chains The food-energy chain
always starts with producers, e.g. green plants and algae. 14
Producers are autotrophs. Do you remember what autotrophs are? Type
your response in the box below. Click the CHECK button for
feedback. Autotroph comes from two words; auto = self and trophe =
nourishing. So, an autotroph is an organism which makes its own
food to nourish itself. Examples are all green plants and algae.
Photo: Langes0812.wordpress.com
15. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological Niches a) Animals that are the
first to take the food-energy from the plants/producers are called
primary consumers. b) Animals that eat primary consumers are
secondary consumers. 15 (a) Aphids feeding on leaf (b) Ladybug
eating Aphids
16. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological Niches Take note! 16 The word
ending -vore comes from the Latin word which means to eat or to
devour. Primary consumers are always herbivores - i.e.
plant-eaters. All consumer animals are heterotrophs who cannot make
their own food, but must rely on producers or other consumers to
get food containing stored energy. Click and read >
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/foodchain/glossary.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks3/science/organisms_behaviour_health/food_chains/revision/5/
Tertiary consumers can be omnivores that eat both plants and
animals. Secondary consumers are carnivores that eat only other
animals i.e. flesh/meat-eaters.
17. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological Niches Look at these examples
of foods that humans eat. What kind of consumer vores are we?
Herbivores? Carnivores? No!! Humans are omnivores! We eat plants
& animals. 17 From this wide range of foods that we eat, would
we be confined to only one food-energy chain?
http://www.jamaicanfoodsavvy.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackee_and_saltfish
terriblefunny.blogspot.com
18. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological Niches In real life, feeding
relationships are quite complicated! This bird is the Jamaican
Tody. It is an omnivore, as it feeds on insects/larvae and on
fruit. What are two food-energy chain/s that show those
inter-relationships? fruit tree insect bird (Tody)
http://www.nepa.gov.jm/projects/project_reports/3rd_national_security_summary.pdf
19. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy webs An animal can be involved
in several different food-energy chains at the same time! We show
this with a food-energy web. A web has several food-energy chains
criss-crossing each other and shows the various food-energy inter-
relationships possible/likely in a community of different
populations of plants and animals. 19
20. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy webs How many different
food-energy chains do you see connected to the mango tree? Where in
that web could a lizard be placed? mango tree ants lizard small
bird Seven
21. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy webs - In an aquatic ecosystem
21 Look at an example of feeding inter-relationships in an aquatic
ecosystem. Examine and discuss within your group the various food-
energy chains that comprise this web. http://bookbuilder
.cast.org/view_prin t.php?book=7077
22. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Food-energy webs In an aquatic ecosystem
From the previous diagram, give an example of: 22 1. Diatoms are
fed on by krill and small water animals. 2. Fish are fed on by
seals, whales and penguins. 3. Whales feed on fish, tiny water
animals, penguins and seals. 1. One organism can be fed on by more
than one organism. 2. More than one organism may feed on the same
animal. 3. Many organisms feed on more than one type of food.
23. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Constructing food-energy webs Have Fun
with food webs; do the activities at >
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html Work
with a partner to construct food webs from this site>
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodweb.htm Now, test your understanding
of food-energy chains/webs. Click to this website and follow the
instructions there.
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/food/food_menu.html Click
open this website and learn the niches of various organisms by
fixing different food chains/webs.
http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/kids_web.htm 23
24. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 24 Heres a
food-energy web that shows an example of feeding
inter-relationships among different populations of plants and
animals in a marshland ecosystem. Image -
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/lmexer10.htm#foodweb
25. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy chains It is said
that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. In an
ecosystem, the chain signifies that there exists strong links or
inter-relationships between the plants (producers) and animals
(consumers), such that if one link were to weaken, disappear/ be
missing, it would adversely affect the others, just the same way as
if one link in a real chain were to become weakened, break/lost. Go
through the next slides for a possible scenario of what could
happen in that marshland. Discuss it among group members and arrive
at consensus at each stage! 25
26. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 26 THINK AND
TELL What do you predict would happen if disease, pesticides or
over-hunting were to kill off the entire (or the majority of the)
population of hawks living there? Click here for possible
answer!
27. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 27 There would
be no hawks to eat the snakes, so the numbers in the snake
population will increase. contd
28. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 28 As the
snake population increases, the entire frog population will
decrease and soon disappear as they get eaten by the increased
amount of snakes.
29. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 29 Now No
frogs to eat the crickets and they have a lot of cattail plants!
What will happen to crickets and cattails? Yes..cricket population
increases contd
30. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 30 Most of the
cattail gets eaten by the increase in the population of crickets.
contd
31. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs 31 Eventually
the crickets dont have enough food, so their numbers decrease!! And
so on and so on
32. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Disrupting food-energy webs When an
organism dies, the size of the population changes. Changing the
size/numbers of one population in a food-energy chain affects other
populations. This is because populations within a food chain depend
on other populations (for food!) to help them survive. Without
adequate amount of food for all members of a population, there is
starvation and death!
http://sites.education.miami.edu/psell/files/2011/10/Energy-in-
Ecosystems.pdf 32
33. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological Pyramids - Pyramid of Numbers
and Pyramid of Energy 33 In an ecosystem, it takes a lot of
herbivores to eventually provide food and energy for one lop level
consumer. Click and watch > http://www.harcourtsch
ool.com/activity/science _up_close/314/deploy/in terface.html
34. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological pyramids The pyramid of numbers
and energy pyramid would have many (green plants) providing food
and energy to (grasshoppers). As we go up, there .. (would be)
fewer (grasshoppers) than (frogs), (fewer snakes than frogs) and
(at the highest trophic/feeding level, even fewer (hawks) than
(snakes). So ... as we go further along a food chain, there are
fewer and fewer consumers. In other words, a large mass of living
things (e,g, producer plants) at the base is required to support a
few (consumer animals) at the (next trophic level, and... many
herbivores are needed to support a few carnivores. Ref.: Modified
from> http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm#create 34
35. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Ecological pyramids - Availability of
energy As energy passes to a higher trophic level, approximately
90% of the useful energy is lost or wasted as heat. High trophic
levels contain less energy and fewer organisms than lower levels.
At each trophic level in a food chain, energy is used by the
organisms at that level to maintain their own life process. As we
know from the Law of Energy Conservation, not all energy transfers
and conversions result in 100% useful. Some energy is lost or
wasted to the surroundings as heat. It is estimated that in going
from one trophic level to the next, about 90 % of the energy is
dissipated. In moving to the next trophic level, only 10 % of the
original energy is available. By the third trophic level only 1% of
the energy is available. 35
36. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Balance is important! Ecosystems will fail
if their biotic and abiotic components do not remain in balance.
The carrying capacity of each ecosystem to accommodate populations
of organisms depends on its continued ability to keep in balance
the interactions of the biotic components with the ecosystem for:
food, water, shelter and other important abiotic factors. No
community can carry more populations of organisms than its abiotic
factors can accommodate. 36
37. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Summary You should now appreciate how the
biotic components affect each other either directly or indirectly
within an ecosystem! Because plants are the source of food and for
passing energy to all organisms, it is likely that one kind of
plant can be food for more than one kind of animal. Many kinds of
animals may feed on the same kind of animal or plant. One kind of
animal may feed on more than one type of organism. So, there are
complex interactions and inter-relationships associated with
nurition! 37
38. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Quiz and Review Questions Are you ready to
test yourself? 1. There are three Multiple Choice (MC) items and
three short Review Questions that you are required to do, 2. For
each MC item, click on the letter of the correct response 3. Click
the FEEDBACK button and read the feedback provided. 4. Click the
button NEXT QUESTION to continue. 5. Click the button BEGIN QUIZ to
start doing the quiz. 38 BEGIN QUIZ!
39. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids QUIZ: Question 1 The sequence of energy
flow through a food chain is 39 A. producer secondary consumer
primary consumer. D. higher order consumer primary consumer
producer. B. primary consumer producer higher order consumer. C.
producer primary consumer secondary consumer. FEEDBACK
40. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Feedback to Question 1 The sequence of
energy flow through a food chain is 40 NEXT QUESTION Energy flow
always starts from the producer. Although option A starts with a
producer, energy cannot flow from of secondary consumer back to a
primary consumer. The correct option is C.
41. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Quiz: Question 2 Which of these food
chains is in the correct order? 41 A. grasshopper grass frog snake
D. grass frog grasshopper snake C. snake frog grasshopper grass B.
grass grasshopper frog snake FEEDBACK
42. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Feedback to Question 2 Which of these food
chains is in the correct order? 42 NEXT QUESTION Again, the food
chain starts with a producer so options A and C are not possible.
Option D starts with a producer but the primary consumer
(grasshopper) is in the wrong place. Primary consumers can only eat
producers. The correct option is therefore B.
43. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids QUIZ: Question 3 A caterpillar eats a
leaf, and a bird eats the caterpillar. In this interaction, the
bird is a: 43 B. primary consumer D. producer C. herbivore A.
secondary consumer FEEDBACK
44. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Feedback to Question 3 A caterpillar eats
a leaf, and a bird eats the caterpillar. In this interaction, the
bird is a 44 This is what the food chain would look like. Leaf
caterpillar bird That would make the leaf a producer, the
caterpillar a primary consumer (herbivore), and the bird a
secondary consumer. The correct option is therefore A. END OF
QUIZ
45. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Review Question 1 45 Food Chain 2: suns
energy mango rat hawk (1) Write the food-energy chain shown in this
diagram, and (2) show a second one, based on this diagram and with
no additional organism included. Food Chain 1: suns energy mango
rat owl hawkFOOD CHAIN 1 FOOD CHAIN 2
46. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Feedback to Review Question 2 What feeding
niche does each organism occupy in #(1) food-energy chain? The
mango tree = a producer; the rat is the first animal to get both
food and energy from the plant producer, so, in this food-energy
chain, it is a primary consumer and is actually feeding as a
herbivore (NOTE: Rats are actually omnivores!). The owl is a
secondary consumer, and, by eating animal flesh/meat, also a
carnivore . The hawk is a tertiary consumer and a carnivore too. 46
Click here for feedback to Review Question 2
47. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids Feedback to Review Question 3 In the
previous diagram, which animal is both a predator and a prey?
Explain. Depending on its position in a food-energy chain, an
animal can be both a predator and prey. In food-energy chain # (1),
the owl is a predator on the rat, but can become a prey to the
larger hawk. In #2, the owl is the predator NOTE: Each consumer in
a food-energy chain can be either predator or prey depending on the
tropic levels in each chain! 47 Click here for feedback to Review
Question 3
48. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids CREDITS http://500px.com/photo/741583
http://schools.bcsd.com/fremont/4th_Sci_Life_food_chains.htm
http://www.ftexploring.com/photosyn/chloroplast.html
dartfrogeducation.com
http://www.studentsoftheworld.info/sites/animals/8603.php 2013,
Daphnie Morrison midtownlunch.com
http://www.fotosearch.com/FSD297/x28117423/
http://home-su-cool.blogspot.com/2011/01/c-cow-unit-plan.html
Langes0812.wordpress.com
http://www.noslangues-ourlanguages.gc.ca/bien-well/fra-eng/vocabulaire-vocabulary/vore-
eng.html http://www.fotosearch.com/FSD357/x24712145/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ackee_and_saltfish
terriblefunny.blogspot.com
http://www.nepa.gov.jm/projects/project_reports/3rd_national_security_summary.pdf
48
49. Objectives Feeding inter- relationships in an ecosystem
Food energy chains Ecological Niches QuizIntroduction Food energy
webs Ecological Pyramids CREDITS
http://www.ftexploring.com/me/me2.html
http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/onlcourse/chm110/outlines/foodener
gy.html http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/jm/jm-nbsap-01-p4-en.pdf
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-
4xikmA75x00/T0wbChIe8oI/AAAAAAAAAkA/_OjnCNPIPtk/s1600/DSCN 3097.JPG
http://waynesword.palomar.edu/lmexer10.htm#foodweb
http://bookbuilder.cast.org/view_print.php?book=7077
http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g30093-
d1491507-i69049268-The_Center_for_Birds_of_Prey-
Awendaw_South_Carolina.html#60378061
http://sites.education.miami.edu/psell/files/2011/10/Energy-in-
Ecosystems.pdf 49