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 that illustrates how different organisms in an ecosystem are related through feeding relationships.

Front

What role do producers play in a food web?

Back

Producers, such as plants and algae, are organisms that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food web, providing energy for consumers.

Front

Define the term 'predator'.

Back

A predator is an organism that hunts and consumes other organisms (prey) for food.

Front

Define the term 'prey'.

Back

Prey refers to organisms that are hunted and eaten by predators.

Front

What is an omnivore?

Back

An omnivore is an organism that eats both plants and animals.

Front

What happens to a food web if a key species is removed?

Back

Removing a key species can disrupt the balance of the food web, leading to population declines or increases in other species, and potentially causing ecosystem instability.

Front

What is the energy pyramid?

Back

The energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem, with producers at the base and top predators at the apex.

Front

Which organisms typically have the most energy in a food web?

Back

Producers, such as plants, typically have the most energy in a food web.

Front

Which organisms typically have the least energy in a food web?

Back

Top predators, such as owls or hawks, typically have the least energy in a food web due to energy loss at each trophic level.