INTERDEPENCE OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Plants produce food and are called producers. Animals take readymade food from
plants for their energy needs and are called consumers. Some animals eat only plants (herbs)
and are called herbivores. Some examples of the herbivores are cow, goat, horse, rabbit, deer
etc. Some animals only eat the flesh of other animals. These animals are called carnivores like
example are lion, tiger, shark, eagle, hawk etc. Some animals eat both plants and animals and
are called omnivores. Some examples of omnivores are crow, pigs, bear and human beings.
There is another type of feeding habit setting apart the scavengers. These feed only on the
flesh of dead animals. Some examples are vultures and hyena.
When we look at the food habits of these animals, we see that some animals eat plants
whereas other animals eat these plant eaters. Other animals eat these animal eaters, this is like
a chain of animals eating down the line like leaves are eaten by a caterpillar which is further
eaten by a bird which may further be eaten by a human being.
Food Chain:
Herbivorous animals (heterotrophs) feed directly on plants (producers) and are known
as primary consumers (1st degree). Animals which feed on primary consumers are called
secondary consumers (2nd degree), and so on. Only rarely is the third or fourth consumer level
(3rd or 4th degree) exceeded. Where a simple linear relationship of feeding is observed, it is
called a food chain. Where, as is more usual, a number of interrelated feeding relationships are
present it is termed a food web. Some more examples of a food chain may be:
Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Hawk
Grass Deer Lion / Tiger
Aquatic Plants Small Fish Bigger Fish Sea Gull
Every link in the food chain is vital. If there is a disturbance (natural or man-made) in
the number of species in one of the links, the link on top gets affected accordingly. Let say that
some man-made harmful effluents get discharged into water and kill the small fishes. The big
fishes will starve as the quantity of their food diminishes. As the big fishes will starve, the
seagulls will also start dying of starvation.
Plants produce food and are called producers. Animals take readymade food from
plants for their energy needs and are called consumers. Some animals eat only plants (herbs)
and are called herbivores. Some examples of the herbivores are cow, goat, horse, rabbit, deer
etc. Some animals only eat the flesh of other animals. These animals are called carnivores like
example are lion, tiger, shark, eagle, hawk etc. Some animals eat both plants and animals and
are called omnivores. Some examples of omnivores are crow, pigs, bear and human beings.
There is another type of feeding habit setting apart the scavengers. These feed only on the
flesh of dead animals. Some examples are vultures and hyena.
When we look at the food habits of these animals, we see that some animals eat plants
whereas other animals eat these plant eaters. Other animals eat these animal eaters, this is like
a chain of animals eating down the line like leaves are eaten by a caterpillar which is further
eaten by a bird which may further be eaten by a human being.
Food Chain:
Herbivorous animals (heterotrophs) feed directly on plants (producers) and are known
as primary consumers (1st degree). Animals which feed on primary consumers are called
secondary consumers (2nd degree), and so on. Only rarely is the third or fourth consumer level
(3rd or 4th degree) exceeded. Where a simple linear relationship of feeding is observed, it is
called a food chain. Where, as is more usual, a number of interrelated feeding relationships are
present it is termed a food web. Some more examples of a food chain may be:
Grass Grasshopper Frog Snake Hawk
Grass Deer Lion / Tiger
Aquatic Plants Small Fish Bigger Fish Sea Gull
Every link in the food chain is vital. If there is a disturbance (natural or man-made) in
the number of species in one of the links, the link on top gets affected accordingly. Let say that
some man-made harmful effluents get discharged into water and kill the small fishes. The big
fishes will starve as the quantity of their food diminishes. As the big fishes will starve, the
seagulls will also start dying of starvation.
