Read these four chains. The arrow means is eaten by…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Read these four chains. The arrow means is eaten by.
- Dead leaves, earthworm, thrush.
- Grass, rabbit, fox.
- Phytoplankton, zooplankton, small fish.
- Dead animal remains, fungi, a beetle that eats fungi.
Which of them are grazing food chains and which are detritus food chains?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
The grazing food chain starts with a green plant. The detritus food chain starts with dead organic matter. On land, most of the energy goes through the detritus chain. In water, the grazing chain is the major route. Joined chains make a food web.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. A chain that starts with a green plant is a grazing food chain. A chain that starts with dead organic matter is a detritus food chain.
Step 2. (a) starts with dead leaves, so it is a detritus chain. (d) starts with dead remains, so it is a detritus chain too.
Step 3. (b) starts with grass and (c) starts with phytoplankton, so both are grazing chains.
Answer: (b) and (c) are grazing chains. (a) and (d) are detritus chains.
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