Food Webs & Energy Pyramids #4

Front

What is a food web?

Back

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

Front

What is an energy pyramid?

Back

An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem, illustrating how energy decreases as it moves from producers to top consumers.

Front

What are producers in a food web?

Back

Producers are organisms, typically plants or phytoplankton, that create their own food through photosynthesis and form the base of the food web.

Front

What are consumers in a food web?

Back

Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms for energy. They can be herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in a food web?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers, thus playing a crucial role in nutrient cycling.

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What is the difference between a herbivore and a carnivore?

Back

Herbivores are animals that primarily eat plants, while carnivores are animals that primarily eat other animals.

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What is chemical energy?

Back

Chemical energy is the energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds, which can be released during chemical reactions, such as digestion.

Front

How do mammals maintain their body temperature?

Back

Mammals maintain a constant body temperature by converting chemical energy from food into thermal energy through metabolic processes.

Front

What is the significance of the 10% rule in energy transfer?

Back

The 10% rule states that 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 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, such as producer, primary consumer, or secondary consumer.