Environ 5.1 Food Chain, Webs and Pyramids 21

Front

What is a food chain?

Back

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.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

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

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 and nutrients, such as producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

Front

What is a producer?

Back

A producer is an organism, typically a plant or algae, that can make its own food through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Front

What is a consumer?

Back

A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms for energy; they are classified as herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores.

Front

What is a carnivore?

Back

A carnivore is an organism that primarily eats other animals for energy.

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What is a herbivore?

Back

A herbivore is an organism that primarily eats plants for energy.

Front

What is a decomposer?

Back

A decomposer is an organism, such as bacteria or fungi, that breaks down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the ecosystem.

Front

What happens to energy as it moves up trophic levels?

Back

As energy moves up trophic levels, it decreases due to energy loss through metabolic processes, with only about 10% of the energy being transferred to the next level.

Front

If there are 1000 Kcal in producers, how much energy is available to primary consumers?

Back

Approximately 100 Kcal is available to primary consumers, as only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level.