Food Webs and Food Chains

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, illustrating how different organisms are related through feeding relationships.

Front

Define producers in a food web.

Back

Producers are organisms, typically plants and algae, that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food web.

Front

What are primary consumers?

Back

Primary consumers are herbivores that eat producers (plants) and are the second level in a food chain.

Front

What are secondary consumers?

Back

Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers; they can be carnivores or omnivores.

Front

What are tertiary consumers?

Back

Tertiary consumers are predators that eat secondary consumers and are typically at the top of the food chain.

Front

What role do decomposers play in a food web?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers.

Front

How does energy transfer in a food chain?

Back

Energy transfer in a food chain decreases at each trophic level, with only about 10% of the energy being passed on to the next level.

Front

What happens to the population of primary consumers if the producer population decreases?

Back

If the producer population decreases, the primary consumer population will likely decrease as well due to lack of food.

Front

What is the relationship between food webs and biodiversity?

Back

Food webs contribute to biodiversity by providing multiple pathways for energy flow and supporting a variety of species within an ecosystem.