Back to: ZOOLOGY 100 Level
It’s another beautiful day to learn something amazing! I’m so happy you are here, ready to grow your mind. Today, we are going to talk about food chains and food webs. Trust me, by the end of this lesson, you’ll understand it so clearly that you can even explain it to someone else. Let’s get started!
Food chains and webs
What is a Food Chain?
A food chain is a simple line that shows who eats who in the environment.
It starts with plants (because they make their own food), and then it shows how animals depend on plants and on each other for food.
Example of a Simple Food Chain:
Grass → Grasshopper → Chicken → Human
- Grass uses sunlight to make its own food.
- Grasshopper eats the grass.
- Chicken eats the grasshopper.
- Human eats the chicken.
Every food chain always starts with a plant because plants are producers — they produce food by using sunlight.
Parts of a Food Chain
- Producers: These are plants. They make their own food.
- Consumers: These are animals and humans that eat plants or other animals.
- Primary consumers: Eat plants (e.g., goat).
- Secondary consumers: Eat primary consumers (e.g., dog).
- Tertiary consumers: Eat secondary consumers (e.g., lion).
- Decomposers: These are organisms like earthworms and bacteria that break down dead plants and animals and return nutrients to the soil.
What is a Food Web?
A food web is many food chains linked together.
It shows that animals often eat more than one type of food, and they can belong to different food chains at the same time.
Example:
In a Nigerian forest, a grasshopper might be eaten by a lizard, a bird, or even a frog.
That means the grasshopper is part of many food chains, and all the chains connect to form a web.
Simple Story:
Imagine a small village. The akara seller gives food to many people. A mechanic repairs different people’s motorbikes. A tailor sews for many families. Everything is connected — just like animals are connected in a food web.
Importance of Food Chains and Webs
- They show how energy moves from one living thing to another.
- They help us understand why protecting plants and animals is important — because if one link breaks, the whole system can suffer.
Summary
- A food chain shows who eats who, starting from plants.
- A food web shows how many food chains are connected.
- Producers, consumers, and decomposers all play important roles in the environment.
Evaluation
- What is a food chain?
- Name the three types of consumers.
- What always starts a food chain?
- What is a food web?
- Why are food webs important?
Keep shining and learning, my star! Every new thing you learn makes you stronger and smarter. With Afrilearn by your side, you are building a future filled with endless