Food Chains

In previous sections we have studied how the many different substances needed for life are passed from the Earth to life forms, and than from one life form on to another, until these substances are eventually returned to the Earth.

These many different cycles are primarily carried out as one organism consumes, or eats another in a complex chain known as the food chain.

The most important part of any food chain are the plants that take the energy from the Sun, and substances from the atmosphere and soil to produce food.

As one organism eats another, it uses a portion of these substances to sustain itself, and discards the rest in the form of waste.