Food Chains, Food Webs, & Energy Pyramids 2022

Front

What is a food web?

Back

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

Front

What is the primary producer in an energy pyramid?

Back

The primary producer is typically the first trophic level in an energy pyramid, consisting of autotrophs like plants that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

Front

What role do primary consumers play in a food chain?

Back

Primary consumers are organisms that eat primary producers; they are typically herbivores that obtain energy by consuming plants.

Front

How much energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next?

Back

Typically, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level, with the rest lost as heat or used for metabolic processes.

Front

What is a decomposer?

Back

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead organic matter into simpler substances, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

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What is the difference between a food chain and a food web?

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A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms where each is eaten by the next, while a food web is a more complex network of interconnected food chains.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web that indicates the organism's role in the flow of energy and nutrients, such as producers, consumers, and decomposers.

Front

What is the significance of energy pyramids in ecology?

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Energy pyramids illustrate the distribution of energy among trophic levels in an ecosystem, showing how energy decreases as it moves up the pyramid.

Front

What type of organism is a secondary consumer?

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

Front

What happens to energy as it moves up the trophic levels?

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As energy moves up trophic levels, it decreases due to energy loss through metabolic processes, heat, and waste.