G4 – Energy Flow in the Environment FK 4. 500 – 600L_03

Plants are producers as they take solar energy and convert it to chemical energy. In this way, plants form the first level of a food chain. Some animals eat plants and are called primary consumers. This forms the next level of the food chain. Can you think of some animals that only eat plants?

Some animals eat other animals and are called secondary consumers. They do not get energy straight from a producer. Can you think of some animals that would be in this food chain level?

Food chains can have many levels. The picture below shows a basic food chain. The arrows show the direction of energy flow.

Food chains do not have many levels as a lot of energy is lost along the way. In fact, most of the energy is lost between levels. Only about ten percent of the energy is passed to the next level. Where does that energy go?

The other ninety percent of the energy from each level is used by organisms to stay alive. Being a living organism takes a lot of energy! Plants need to grow, insects need to fly, rabbits need to hop away from predators, and predators need to find prey. All living things also need to find food (or make their own) and reproduce. These activities take a lot of energy, and that energy does not go to the next step in a food chain.