food chains

food chains

• Plants get their energy from the Sun. They are called producers because they make their own food. Animals are called consumers because they eat plants and other animals. They do not make their own food. Animals that eat other animals are called predators. The animals they eat are called prey. A food chain shows how plants and animals get their energy. A food chain always starts with a producer. This is an organism that makes its own food. Most food chains start with a green plant, because plants can make their food by photosynthesis. A living thing that eats other plants and animals is called a consumer.
• A predator is an animal that eats other animals. The animals that predators eat are called prey. Predators are found at the top of a food chain. Many food webs have a keystone species. A keystone species is a species that has a large impact on the surrounding environment and can directly affect the food chain. If this keystone species dies off it can set the entire food chain off balance.