Food Chains and Food Webs

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What is a food chain?

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

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that shows all the feeding relationships among organisms in a habitat.

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What are producers?

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Producers are organisms, like plants, that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food chain.

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What are primary consumers?

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Primary consumers are organisms that eat producers; they are typically herbivores.

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What are secondary consumers?

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Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers; they can be carnivores or omnivores.

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What are decomposers?

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Decomposers are organisms, like fungi and bacteria, that break down dead organic matter and recycle nutrients back into the ecosystem.

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Why might an organism have more than one arrow coming from it in a food web?

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An organism may have more than one arrow coming from it because it may eat multiple organisms.

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

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Removing a key species can disrupt the balance of the food web, leading to population increases or decreases in other species.

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What is the role of carnivores in a food web?

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Carnivores are organisms that eat other animals and help control the population of herbivores.

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What is an example of a producer?

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An example of a producer is a green plant, such as grass or a tree.