Food Chains

Introduction

Food chains connect all organisms. If a creature's food source is changed in any way, the creature's life changes too.

You can see how the feeding relationships between animals, plants and humans work.

This section includes:

• Animals and plants are linked by Food Chains
• Producers and Consumers
• Prey and Predators
  
  
  Animals and plants are linked by food chains
  Animals get energy and nutrients by eating other animals or plants.
  For example
  • caterpillars eat leaves
  • small birds eat caterpillars
  • owls eat small birds
  • eagles eat owls
  These links between animals and plants are called food chains.
  Nearly all food chains start with a green plant.

  Changes to food chains

  If one part of a food chain alters, the whole food chain is affected. For example, if a disease suddenly wiped out caterpillars, it would affect owls, eagles and many other animals.
  Most animals and plants are part of more than one food chain.
  

  
  

  Producers and consumers

  Plants are called producers because they make their own food. They are at the start of a food chain.
  Animals are called consumers because they eat other plants and animals.

  
  

  Prey and predators

  A predator is an animal that eats other animals.
  The animals that predators eat are called prey.