1.3 THE FOOD WEB CONNECTION
All plants and animals need organic compounds and water in order to survive. Plants are able to
produce their own organic compounds, and they are called producers. Animals feed off plants and
other animals, and they are called consumers. The animals that eat plants are called primary
consumers, and the ones that eat other animals may be called secondary or tertiary consumers. The
organisms that break down the dead material are called decomposers.
An animal may eat more than one food item, and this then creates a food web within an ecosystem.
Each link in the food web is important in keeping the ecosystem in balance.
Activity 3: Connecting the Web
Grade 8: LO2 – AS 2 Categorizing animals according to their feeding habits
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AS4 Applying Knowledge of animals feeding habits in an
unfamiliar situation
What you need:
A copy of the Reef Ecosystem diagram
The fact sheets
Your work book or paper
What to do:
Study the Reef ecosystem diagram. Using the fact sheets, identify each animal on the
reef. Then make the food web connections between the animals and plants. Note down
what you notice about your food web.