Food Web in Arctic Regions
The Arctic wolf is not the only living organism in the Arctic region. There are many other different animals which inhabit these icy areas and so a food web is shown below. It represents the Arctic wolf's role in its ecosystem.
Every organism needs to obtain energy in order to live. For example, plants get energy from the sun, some animals eat the plants, and some animals eat these animals.
A food chain is the sequence of events consisting of who eats who in an ecosystem to obtain nutrition. A food chain starts with the primary energy source which is the sun. The next link in the chain is an organism that makes its own food from the primary energy source like photosynthetic plants. They are also known as autotrophs. Next come organisms that eat the autotrophs. These organisms are usually herbivores and are classed as primary consumers. In the arctic ecosystem, this is like a hare that eats grass.
The next link in the chain is animals that eat herbivores. These are called secondary consumers. This is like a hawk that eats the hare.
The Arctic wolf is a carnivore and is known as a tertiary consumer. This means that they exist in the top level in a food chain. An example of an animal that is beneath the Arctic wolf on the food chain would be the caribou, which is one of its most hunted food sources.
As plants are known as the producers, they exist at the bottom of the food chain which is where everything begins. The hares eat the plants and the wolf eats the hares. This food chain is an important part of every ecosystem as it balances everything out. If there were no wolves to eat the hares, the plants would be gone due to too many hares looking for food. This effects all of the other animals in the ecosystem as there will be less food, which means more animals starve and eventually die.
When any organism dies, it is eventually eaten by animals such as vultures, worms and crabs. It broken down by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi. This is what continues the exchange of energy.
A food chain is the sequence of events consisting of who eats who in an ecosystem to obtain nutrition. A food chain starts with the primary energy source which is the sun. The next link in the chain is an organism that makes its own food from the primary energy source like photosynthetic plants. They are also known as autotrophs. Next come organisms that eat the autotrophs. These organisms are usually herbivores and are classed as primary consumers. In the arctic ecosystem, this is like a hare that eats grass.
The next link in the chain is animals that eat herbivores. These are called secondary consumers. This is like a hawk that eats the hare.
The Arctic wolf is a carnivore and is known as a tertiary consumer. This means that they exist in the top level in a food chain. An example of an animal that is beneath the Arctic wolf on the food chain would be the caribou, which is one of its most hunted food sources.
As plants are known as the producers, they exist at the bottom of the food chain which is where everything begins. The hares eat the plants and the wolf eats the hares. This food chain is an important part of every ecosystem as it balances everything out. If there were no wolves to eat the hares, the plants would be gone due to too many hares looking for food. This effects all of the other animals in the ecosystem as there will be less food, which means more animals starve and eventually die.
When any organism dies, it is eventually eaten by animals such as vultures, worms and crabs. It broken down by decomposers such as bacteria and fungi. This is what continues the exchange of energy.