Producers
What are producers in an ecosystem?
Organisms that make their own food, usually through photosynthesis.
What are primary consumers, and what do they eat?
Primary consumers are animals that eat plants.
What are secondary consumers, and what do they eat?
Secondary consumers are animals that eat primary consumers.
What are decomposers, and what do they do?
Decomposers break down dead plants and animals.
What does energy flow mean in an ecosystem?
Energy flow is how energy moves from one living thing to another in the food chain.
Name a common example of a producer.
Plants.
Give an example of a primary consumer and explain what it eats).
A rabbit is a primary consumer that eats grass and vegetables.
Name a secondary consumer and explain its role in the food chain.
A fox is a secondary consumer that eats rabbits.
Give an example of a decomposer and explain why it is important.
Fungi are decomposers that help recycle nutrients back into the soil.
What is the main source of energy for all living things?
The Sun is the main source of energy.
How do producers contribute to the food chain?
They provide energy for primary consumers.
How do primary consumers help the ecosystem?
They transfer energy from plants to other animals that eat them.
How do secondary consumers help keep populations in balance?
They control the number of primary consumers, preventing them from overgrazing plants.
How do decomposers help plants grow?
They return nutrients to the soil, making it healthy for plants.
Describe how energy moves from plants to animals in a food chain.
Plants (producers) make energy from sunlight, and then animals (consumers) eat the plants to get that energy.
What process do producers use to convert sunlight into energy?
Photosynthesis.
What might happen if there were too many primary consumers in an area?
They could eat too many plants, causing the plants to disappear.
What might happen to secondary consumers if primary consumers become scarce?
They might struggle to find food and could decrease in number.
What would happen to the environment if there were no decomposers?
Waste would pile up, and nutrients would not be recycled, harming plant growth.
What happens to energy as it moves up the food chain?
Energy decreases at each level; not all energy is passed on to the next consumer
What are the two main types of producers?
Green plants and some algae
Imagine a world without primary consumers. What would change in the food chain?
Without primary consumers, plants would grow too much, and animals that eat those plants would have no food.
Create a simple food chain that includes a secondary consumer
Grass → Rabbit → Fox.
Draw a picture showing how decomposers fit into the food web.
Diagram showing decomposers breaking down dead matter.
Why is it important to understand energy flow in an ecosystem?
Understanding energy flow helps us know how living things depend on each other for survival.