HCS Ecosystems

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow through different species.

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What is a producer in a food web?

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A producer is an organism, usually a plant or algae, that can make its own food through photosynthesis and serves as a primary energy source in a food web.

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What is a consumer in a food web?

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A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms (plants or animals) to obtain energy.

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What is a decomposer?

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A decomposer is an organism, such as bacteria or fungi, that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil and completing the cycle of matter in an ecosystem.

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What does it mean for organisms to compete for resources?

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Competition occurs when organisms vie for the same resources, such as food, water, or space, which can limit their growth and survival.

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What is an example of a primary consumer?

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An example of a primary consumer is a herbivore, such as a rabbit, that eats plants.

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What is an example of a secondary consumer?

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An example of a secondary consumer is a carnivore, such as a fox, that eats primary consumers like rabbits.

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What role do bees play in a food web?

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Bees are pollinators that help plants reproduce by transferring pollen, and they also serve as a food source for other animals.

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What is a niche in an ecosystem?

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A niche is the role or function of an organism within its ecosystem, including its habitat, resource use, and interactions with other organisms.

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How does energy flow in a food web?

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Energy flows from producers to consumers and then to decomposers, with each level representing a different trophic level.