The food chain shows how some animals eat other animals to survive. While being food for animals higher in the food chain, these animals may eat other animals or plants to survive. The food chain is a complex balance of life. If one animals source of food disappears, such as from over fishing or hunting, many other animals in the food chain are impacted and may die. Let's look at two examples of food chains, one in the water and the other on land.
All sea creatures rely on other sea creatures for food to survive.
At the bottom of the food chain are the sea plants and plankton. Many types of fish and animals such as the snail, shrimp, jellyfish and sea star eat the plankton. The small animals and fish who eat plankton then become food for larger fish, such as the tuna and mackeral. These fish are then eaten by larger fish and animals, such as the shark and dolphin. Check out the menu at a seafood restaurant next time you are eating there.