Food Web and Keystone Species Flashcard

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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, starting from producers to various levels of consumers.

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What is a food web?

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

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What are producers in a food web?

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

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What are consumers in a food web?

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

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What is a keystone species?

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A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance, often maintaining the structure of the ecosystem.

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Give an example of a keystone species.

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Wolves in Yellowstone National Park are an example of a keystone species because they help control the population of herbivores, which in turn affects the entire ecosystem.

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What is prey?

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Prey is an animal that is hunted and eaten by a predator.

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What is a predator?

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A predator is an animal that hunts and eats other animals (prey) for food.

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How does energy flow in a food chain?

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Energy flows in a food chain from producers to herbivores (primary consumers) and then to carnivores (secondary consumers).

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What role do decomposers play in a food web?

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Decomposers break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil and making them available for producers.