Food Chains and Food Webs

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, showing how different organisms are related through feeding relationships.

Front

What are producers?

Back

Producers are organisms, like plants, that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food chain.

Front

What are consumers?

Back

Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on eating other organisms for energy.

Front

What are decomposers?

Back

Decomposers are organisms, such as fungi and bacteria, that break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil.

Front

What role does the sun play in a food chain?

Back

The sun provides the energy that fuels the entire food chain, as producers use sunlight to create food.

Front

What is a primary consumer?

Back

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers; they are typically herbivores.

Front

What is a secondary consumer?

Back

A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers; they can be carnivores or omnivores.

Front

What happens if a top predator is removed from a food web?

Back

Removing a top predator can lead to an overpopulation of primary consumers, which may then overconsume producers, disrupting the ecosystem.

Front

What is an example of a decomposer?

Back

An example of a decomposer is a mushroom, which breaks down dead plants and animals.