Energy Flow in Ecosystems

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, showing how different organisms are related through feeding relationships.

A food chain is a linear sequence that shows how energy and nutrients flow from one organism to another in an ecosystem, typically starting with a producer.

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

A herbivore is an organism that primarily eats plants.

A carnivore is an organism that primarily eats other animals.

A decomposer is an organism that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil.

A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants) in a food chain.

A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers in a food chain.

An autotroph is an organism that produces its own food, typically through photosynthesis, like plants.

Producers, like plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.