Ecology: Food Webs and Energy Flow

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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 energy and nutrients flow between organisms.

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What is a trophic level?

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A trophic level is a position in a food chain or food web, representing the flow of energy and nutrients from producers to various levels of consumers.

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Define producer in an ecosystem.

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

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What is a consumer?

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A consumer is an organism that cannot produce its own food and must eat other organisms (plants or animals) to obtain energy.

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What is a decomposer?

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

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What is the role of a primary consumer?

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A primary consumer is an herbivore that eats producers (plants) and is the second trophic level in a food web.

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What is a secondary consumer?

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A secondary consumer is a carnivore or omnivore that eats primary consumers, occupying the third trophic level in a food web.

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What is a tertiary consumer?

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A tertiary consumer is a predator that eats secondary consumers, typically at the top of the food chain.

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What does the arrow in a food web represent?

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The arrow in a food web represents the transfer of energy from one organism to another.

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What is a predator-prey relationship?

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A predator-prey relationship is an interaction where one organism (the predator) hunts and eats another organism (the prey).