TED-Ed

John C. Moore and Eric Berlow: Dead stuff: The secret ingredient in our food chain (2014x31)

Air date: Mar 20, 2014

When you picture the lowest levels of the food chain, you might imagine herbivores happily munching on lush, living green plants. But this idyllic image leaves out a huge (and slightly less appetizing) source of nourishment: dead stuff. John C. Moore details the "brown food chain," explaining how such unlikely delicacies as pond scum and animal poop contribute enormous amounts of energy to our ecosystems. [Directed by TED-Ed, narrated by George Zaidan].