Table of Contents
Sub strand: S8.1.2.1 Living Together
Feeding Patterns of Organisms
- Carnivores: Eat other animals (e.g., lion, eagle).
- Herbivores: Eat only plants (e.g., deer, caterpillar).
- Omnivores: Eat both plants and animals (e.g., bear, human).
- Decomposers: Break down dead plants/animals (e.g., fungi, bacteria).
2. Energy Flow in Ecosystems
- Food Chain: Shows how energy moves from one organism to another.
- Example: Sun → Grass (producer) → Grasshopper (herbivore) → Frog (carnivore) → Snake (carnivore) → Fungi (decomposer).
- Key Idea: Energy is transferred but decreases at each step. Decomposers recycle nutrients back into the soil.
3. Decomposition
- What Can Decompose?
- Organic materials: Leaves, wood, paper, food scraps.
- What Cannot Decompose?
- Inorganic materials: Plastic, glass, metal.
- Conditions Needed: Moisture, warmth, oxygen, and decomposers.
- Importance: Decomposers break down waste, enrich soil, and help plants grow.
4. Effects of Decomposers
- On Plants: Provide nutrients for growth.
- On Animals: Clean up dead remains, prevent disease spread.
5. Careers in Ecosystems
- Botanists: Study plants and their roles in ecosystems.
- Zoologists: Study animals and their behaviors.
Key Vocabulary
- Producer: Makes food using sunlight (e.g., plants).
- Consumer: Eats other organisms (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores).
- Decomposer: Breaks down dead matter.
Summary: Organisms depend on each other for energy. Decomposers keep ecosystems clean and fertile. Understanding these patterns helps us protect nature!
Why Animals Eat Certain Foods
- Body Design:
- Animals have special body parts for their food.
- Example: Cows have flat teeth for grass; lions have sharp teeth for meat.
- Animals have special body parts for their food.
- Survival Needs:
- They choose foods that give energy fast and are easy to find.
- Example: Deer eat leaves (nutritious) instead of bark.
- They choose foods that give energy fast and are easy to find.
- Habitat & Evolution:
- Over time, animals adapt to eat what’s in their environment.
- Example: Koalas eat eucalyptus leaves (toxic to others) because their bodies adapted to handle it.
- Over time, animals adapt to eat what’s in their environment.
- Avoiding Danger:
- Some foods are poisonous or hard to digest. Animals learn to avoid them.
- Example: Birds avoid brightly colored bugs (often toxic).
- Some foods are poisonous or hard to digest. Animals learn to avoid them.
- Balance in Nature:
- If all animals ate the same food, they’d fight over it. Different diets reduce competition.
- Example: Giraffes eat tree tops; zebras eat grass.
- If all animals ate the same food, they’d fight over it. Different diets reduce competition.
- Learned Habits:
- Parents teach babies what to eat.
- Example: Baby elephants learn which plants are safe by watching adults.
- Parents teach babies what to eat.
Animals eat what suits their bodies, keeps them safe, and helps them survive in their environment.
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions
- Which of the following is a herbivore?
A. Lion
B. Human
C. Caterpillar
D. Eagle
Answer: C - What type of organism breaks down dead plants and animals?
A. Producer
B. Consumer
C. Herbivore
D. Decomposer
Answer: D - Which of these animals is an omnivore?
A. Deer
B. Human
C. Lion
D. Cow
Answer: B - In a food chain, which organism is the producer?
A. Grass
B. Snake
C. Grasshopper
D. Frog
Answer: A - Which of the following is NOT biodegradable?
A. Food scraps
B. Plastic
C. Leaves
D. Paper
Answer: B
Section B: True or False
- Decomposers help enrich the soil with nutrients.
Answer: True - All animals have the same type of teeth for eating.
Answer: False - Lions have sharp teeth because they eat plants.
Answer: False - Energy in a food chain increases as it moves up the chain.
Answer: False - Giraffes and zebras eat different parts of plants to reduce food competition.
Answer: True
Section C: Short Answer
- Define a carnivore and give one example.
Answer: A carnivore is an animal that eats other animals. Example: Lion. - What conditions are needed for decomposition to take place?
Answer: Moisture, warmth, oxygen, and decomposers. - Why do birds avoid brightly colored insects?
Answer: Because they may be poisonous or harmful to eat. - What role does a zoologist play in an ecosystem?
Answer: A zoologist studies animals and their behaviors in ecosystems. - Explain how decomposers help plants grow.
Answer: Decomposers break down dead matter and release nutrients into the soil, which plants use for growth.
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