Energy Flow
What starts the flow of energy in a food chain?
The sun
What would happen if frogs were removed from a pond food chain?
There would be more insects, as frogs help control their population.
How does removing a predator affect its prey?
The prey population might increase due to lack of predation.
If bees were removed from a field, what would happen to the plants?
Many plants would not get pollinated and might produce fewer fruits and seeds.
What does a grasshopper eat?
Plants or grass
What is the role of plants in a food chain?
They produce energy through photosynthesis and are primary producers.
What happens if a primary consumer is removed from a food chain?
The population of organisms it eats might increase.
What is the effect of algae disappearing from a water ecosystem?
Water quality might decrease as algae help filter and oxygenate water.
Predict the effect of removing small fish from a coral reef?
Larger fish might have less food, affecting their population.
What might a small bird eat in a food chain?
Insects, seeds, or small fruits.
How do animals get energy in a food chain?
By consuming other organisms (plants or other animals).
What would happen if a decomposer like worms was removed?
Soil nutrients would decrease, affecting plant growth.
What happens to an ecosystem when a keystone species is removed?
It can collapse or significantly change because keystone species maintain structure.
What would happen if all the carnivores in an area disappeared?
Herbivore populations may increase, potentially leading to overgrazing.
Who eats whom in a food chain with snakes, frogs, and insects?
Frogs eat insects, and snakes eat frogs.
What transfers energy from one organism to another in a food chain?
Eating and being eaten (predation)
What effect does overfishing have on marine food chains?
It can lead to a decline in predator species that depend on fish.
What are secondary effects of plant species declining in an area?
Animal species that depend on those plants may also decline.
How might an increase in herbivores affect forest plant life?
It might lead to overgrazing, which can reduce the diversity and health of the forest.
What does a bear eat in a forest ecosystem food chain?
Fish, berries, insects, and small mammals.
Explain how energy is lost between levels in a food chain.
Energy is lost as heat due to metabolic processes or movement, not all energy is transferred to the next level.
What would be the impact of eliminating all predators from a grassland ecosystem?
Herbivore populations might explode, leading to habitat degradation.
How does pollution impact food chains?
Toxins can accumulate in organisms, particularly in top predators, affecting health and reproduction.
What could be the long-term effect of introducing a non-native predator?
It might outcompete native predators, leading to shifts in the local food web.
Describe a food chain in a desert ecosystem.
Plants -> Herbivores (like rabbits) -> Carnivores (like foxes).