Food Chains and Food Webs in Ecosystems

The video tutorial explains how ecologists use diagrams to illustrate feeding relationships and energy transfer in ecosystems. It begins with a simple food chain example from the Galapagos Islands, showing energy flow from the sun to seaweed to marine iguanas. The tutorial then introduces the concept of food webs, which consist of multiple overlapping food chains, using the Florida Everglades as an example. It highlights the roles of producers, consumers, predators, and prey, emphasizing the interconnectedness of living organisms in complex ecosystems.

What is the primary role of producers in an ecosystem?

• To create their own food using sunlight

• To consume other organisms for energy

• To provide shelter for animals

• To decompose organic material

In a simple food chain, which direction does energy flow?

• From consumers to producers

• From predators to prey

• From the sun to producers to consumers

• From decomposers to producers

How does a food web differ from a food chain?

• A food web is a single linear path of energy flow

• A food web consists of multiple overlapping food chains

• A food web only includes producers and decomposers

• A food web is less complex than a food chain

Which of the following is an example of a predator in the Florida Everglades?

• Turtle

• Marine iguana

• Alligator

• Seaweed

What term describes an animal that is eaten by another animal?

• Decomposer

• Producer

• Predator

• Prey