Food Webs

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of interconnected food chains in an ecosystem, showing how energy and nutrients flow between different organisms.

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What are primary producers?

Back

Primary producers are organisms, usually plants or algae, that can make their own food through photosynthesis, forming the base of the food web.

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What are primary consumers?

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Primary consumers are herbivores that eat primary producers. They are the second level in the food web.

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What is a predator?

Back

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

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What is prey?

Back

Prey are animals that are hunted and eaten by predators.

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What does autotrophic mean?

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Autotrophic refers to organisms that can produce their own food using sunlight or chemical energy.

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What is an energy pyramid?

Back

An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem.

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Why are there fewer top predators in a food web?

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There are fewer top predators because they require a larger amount of energy, which is less available as you move up the food chain.

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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 primary producers.

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

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