**Food Chains - Notes for Grade 6**

**Introduction:**

- A food chain is a sequence of organisms in an ecosystem, where each organism serves as a source of
food for the next organism in the chain.

- It illustrates the flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem, showing how living organisms
depend on each other for survival.

**1. Producers:**

- Producers are organisms that can make their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

- Examples include plants, algae, and some bacteria.

- Producers are the primary source of energy in a food chain, converting sunlight or chemical energy into
organic compounds.

**2. Primary Consumers:**

- Primary consumers, also known as herbivores, are organisms that feed directly on producers.

- Examples include grasshoppers, rabbits, and deer.

- Primary consumers obtain energy and nutrients by consuming plant material.

**3. Secondary Consumers:**

- Secondary consumers are organisms that feed on primary consumers.

- Examples include carnivores and omnivores such as foxes, snakes, and humans.

- Secondary consumers obtain energy and nutrients by consuming herbivores or other primary
consumers.

**4. Tertiary Consumers:**

- Tertiary consumers are organisms that feed on secondary consumers.

- Examples include apex predators like lions, sharks, and eagles.

- Tertiary consumers obtain energy and nutrients by consuming other carnivores or omnivores.
**5. Decomposers:**

- Decomposers are organisms that break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the
ecosystem.

- Examples include bacteria, fungi, and certain insects.

- Decomposers play a crucial role in food chains by decomposing dead organisms and returning nutrients
to the soil or water.

**Example Food Chain:**

- Grass (Producer) → Grasshopper (Primary Consumer) → Frog (Secondary Consumer) → Snake (Tertiary
Consumer) → Hawk (Tertiary Consumer) → Decomposers

- In this food chain, energy and nutrients flow from the grass to the grasshopper, frog, snake, hawk, and
finally to decomposers, completing the cycle.

**Conclusion:**

- Food chains are important components of ecosystems, illustrating the interdependence of organisms
and the flow of energy and nutrients.

- Understanding food chains helps us comprehend the complex relationships between organisms and
their environments, highlighting the importance of maintaining balanced ecosystems.