Here are the answers to fill in the blanks and the food chain questions based on the worksheet.
Fill in the blank spaces:
1. A food chain starts with a
producer and ends with a
consumer (or top predator). Green plants are called
producers because they use the light energy of the sun to produce food using carbon dioxide and water through a process called
photosynthesis. Animals cannot make their food and thus are called
consumers.
2. There are
four main trophic levels in a food chain. They are
producers,
primary consumers,
secondary consumers, and
tertiary consumers. Apart from the said trophic levels,
apex predators have no natural predators except humans. Then,
decomposers, like fungi and bacteria, turn dead
organisms (or matter) into inorganic materials in the soil.
Use the food web diagram below to answer the following questions:
1.
Write any two longest food chains in the food web.
*(Note: The longest chains in this diagram contain 5 steps/links. Here are two examples)*
*
Chain 1: Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Rabbit $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Mountain Lion
*
Chain 2: Tree $\rightarrow$ Deer $\rightarrow$ Mountain Lion *(This is short, let's find a longer one)* -> Let's trace carefully.
Let's re-evaluate the longest paths (counting arrows):
* Path A: Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Bird $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk (5 organisms)
* Path B: Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Rabbit $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk (5 organisms)
* Path C: Shrub $\rightarrow$ Rabbit $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk (4 organisms)
* Path D: Tree $\rightarrow$ Deer $\rightarrow$ Mountain Lion (3 organisms)
So, the longest chains involve 5 organisms. Here are two correct options:
1. Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Bird $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk
2. Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Rabbit $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk
Final Answer:
Fill in the Blanks:
1. producer, consumer, producers, photosynthesis, consumers
2. four, producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, apex predators, decomposers, organisms
Longest Food Chains:
1. Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Bird $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk
2. Grass $\rightarrow$ Grasshopper $\rightarrow$ Rabbit $\rightarrow$ Snake $\rightarrow$ Hawk
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of food chains worksheet.
