Food chains and poison
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Explainer Video
Summary
Food chains and poison
In a nutshell
Organisms depend on each other for food. Food chains are a way of showing what is eaten by what. Sometimes poison can enter food chains and cause harm to organisms.
Food chains
Definition
A food chain is a diagram that shows the energy transfers between different organisms in an ecosystem.
Example
The arrows show the direction in which energy gets passed on. Plankton is food for small fish and provides the small fish with energy. Small fish provide the squid with energy when the squid eats them.
Note: The arrow is always pointing at the organism that is eating the previous organism.
Poison in food chains
Sometimes poison builds up in food chains and causes harm to organisms. Animals at the top of food chains are normally the worst affected because the poison builds up as it is passed along the food chain.
Example
| 1. | Poison. |
| 2. | Poison enters the food chain. |
| 3. | Poison builds up as it is passed along the food chain to secondary/tertiary consumers. |
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Who is worst affected when poison enters a food chain?
Animals at the top of food chains are normally the worst affected because the poison builds up as it is passed along the food chain.
What do the arrows mean in a food chain?
The arrows show the direction in which energy gets passed on. Plankton is food for small fish and provides the small fish with energy. Small fish provide the squid with energy when the squid eats them.
What is a food chain?
Food chains are a way of showing what is eaten by what.