Front

What are plants called in a food chain?

Back

Producers / Autotrophs: Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis and serve as the base of the food chain.

Front

Why might an organism have more than one arrow coming FROM them in a food web?

Back

More than one organism may eat them: This indicates that the organism is a food source for multiple consumers.

Front

What happens to the amount of available energy in the pyramid as it moves up through the different levels?

Back

It decreases: Energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolic processes.

Front

Which organism in the food web would contain the lowest concentration of chemical pollutants?

Back

Producers: They are at the base of the food chain and accumulate fewer pollutants compared to higher trophic levels.

Front

What is a species that plays a critical role in the health of an ecosystem called?

Back

Keystone species: These species have a disproportionately large effect on their environment relative to their abundance.

Front

What are the primary producers in an ecosystem?

Back

Plants: They convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, forming the foundation of the food web.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the soil.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

Front

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

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass, while a food web is a more complex interconnection of multiple food chains.

Front

What is a trophic level?

Back

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