Food Chains and Food Webs

Front

What is a producer in a food chain?

Back

A producer is an organism that can make its own food, typically through photosynthesis, and serves as the base of the food chain.

Front

What role do detritivores play in an ecosystem?

Back

Detritivores are organisms that break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Front

Define carnivores in the context of a food chain.

Back

Carnivores are organisms that primarily eat other consumers, meaning they are meat-eaters.

Front

What percentage of energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next in a food chain?

Back

On average, about 10% of energy is passed from one level of a food chain to another.

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

Explain the term 'trophic level'.

Back

A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, defined by how an organism obtains its energy.

Front

What is the difference between herbivores and carnivores?

Back

Herbivores are organisms that eat only plants, while carnivores eat only other animals.

Front

What is the significance of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organisms and waste, returning essential nutrients to the soil and helping to maintain the nutrient cycle.

Front

How do omnivores fit into the food chain?

Back

Omnivores are organisms that eat both plants and animals, allowing them to occupy multiple trophic levels.

Front

What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems?

Back

The primary source of energy for most ecosystems is the sun, which provides energy for photosynthesis.