Food Webs and Energy Pyramids

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains that shows how energy and nutrients flow through an ecosystem.

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What is an energy pyramid?

Back

An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the distribution of energy among trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Front

What are producers?

Back

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

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What are consumers?

Back

Consumers are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on eating other organisms for energy.

Front

What are decomposers?

Back

Decomposers are organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.

Front

What happens to energy as it moves up the energy pyramid?

Back

As energy moves up the energy pyramid, it decreases due to energy loss at each trophic level, primarily through metabolic processes.

Front

What is the primary source of energy for all food chains?

Back

The primary source of energy for all food chains is the sun.

Front

What role do herbivores play in a food web?

Back

Herbivores are primary consumers that eat producers (plants) and transfer energy from the producers to higher trophic levels.

Front

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

Back

A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms where each is eaten by the next, while a food web is a more complex network of multiple food chains.

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Why is energy transfer in a food chain not 100% efficient?

Back

Energy transfer in a food chain is not 100% efficient due to energy loss as heat, movement, and metabolic processes.