70 Achievement Standard 91158 (Biology 2.

6)

Food chains and webs

Trophic levels are feeding levels (troph = food). All organisms can be put into feeding categories dependent
on what (and sometimes how, e.g. filter feeding) they eat.

Unit 4D: Trophic levels

Key trophic levels in food chains/webs include:
autotroph carnivore Consumer decomposer detritus feeder filter feeder
herbivore heterotroph omnivore parasite producer saprophyte Scavenger
Complete the following table to match each of these terms to the correct definition, and include two examples
for each.

Concept Definition Examples

feed on dead matter

animal that feeds on organic particles

in water

organism that feeds on other living

organisms
green plants that produce their own
food in photosynthesis

5. animal that feeds on organic particles

in soil/sand mud

6 animal that feeds on other animals

(meat)
animal that feeds on food scraps,
organic remains

8. organism that needs or consumes

organic material for food
9. a 'self-feeder' producing own
food using energy from the Sun
(photosynthesising plants) or chemical
reactions (chemosynthesising
bacteria)

10. animal that feeds on plants

(vegetation)

11. break down (decompose) wastes and

bodies

for
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 Investigate a pattern in an ecological community, with supervision 71

animal that feeds on both plants and

animals

13. organism that can't produce its own

food and must feed on organic matter

Food chains
A food chain shows 'what eats what; arrows indicate the flow of energy.

producer herbivore - 1st-order carnivore 2nd-ordercarnivore

- feral cat
e.g. pine tree -
pine moth caterpillars silvereye
Herbivores are also known as first-order consumers, first carnivores as second-order consumers, and so on.

A 1st-order carnivore eats a herbivore, a 2nd-order carnivore eats a 1st-carnivore, etc. A carnivore may

change its position in a food chain depending on the food chain.

Omnivores will be either 1st-order or 2nd-order consumers, depending on the food chain.
Filter feeders and detritus feeders are typically 1st-order consumers (herbivore position).
on the food chain.
Parasites and scavengers are likely to be 3rd-or 4th-order consumers, depending

Unit 4: Food chains

1. Every food chain starts with a producer. Explain why.

food chain typically decreases.

2. The number of organisms at each step of a
a. Give a reason why

exception to this.
b. Describe a food chain that may be an

cat morepork
Food webs
many food chains
exist in a biological
Typically,
to than one
community. Species often belong
more

levels
food chain and may occupy different trophic grey
be linked into a warbler
in different chains. Food chains
can

food web
food web within the community. A simple
from a pine community is shown alongside. bark caterpillar
beetle
pine
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 72 Achievement Standard 91158 (Biology 2.6)

A more complex food web from a marine ecosystem follows.

rock oyster dark

oysters borers topshell

animal
plankton
plant mussels humans
plankton
starfish
shrimps
mullet kahawai
(large fish) seagulls
(smallfish)

The number of organisms at each trophic level is dependent to an extent on the numbers at the other
trophic levels. Predatory canivores are important in regulating the numbers of prey (typically herbivores
in a community. Without this controlling factor, herbivore populations in simple communities can grow to0
such an extent that they can eat all available plant matter, then starve (or possibly migrate), with a resulting
population crash.

Unit 4F: Food webs

LO
The diagram shows part of a food web in Lake Taupo.
shags and herons
humans

bullies (fish)

trout (fish)

smelt (fish) koaro (fish)

XI zooplankton
Swans and ducks

phytoplankton waterweeds
1. Identify organisms from the food web that are:
a. producers

b. 1st-order consumers

c. 2nd-orderconsumers
d. 3rd-order consumers
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 Investigate a pattern in an ecological community, with supervision 73
e. herbivores

f. 1st-order carnivores

g. 2nd-order carnivores
h. 3rd-order carnivores
2. Identify an organism that is an omnivore:
3. Trout were introduced into the lake during the 1890s.
Explain the effect this would this have had on:
a. koaro

b. shags.

4. Smelt were introduced into the lake during 1934 and 1940. Explain the effect this would have had on:

a. koaro

b. shags

Ecological niche
The niche of an organism may be simply given as its role in the community. The ecological niche is the
combination of an organism's habitat and its way of life and the adaptations it has to these. To describe a
niche, it is necessary to briefly and accurately describe all three aspects.

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