Food Chains and Food Webs

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What is a food chain?

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A food chain is a linear diagram that shows the transfer of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem, illustrating who eats whom.

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What is a food web?

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A food web is a complex diagram that shows how multiple food chains are interconnected in an ecosystem, demonstrating the various feeding relationships among organisms.

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What is a primary consumer?

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A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers (plants) for energy. Examples include herbivores like grasshoppers and rabbits.

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What is a secondary consumer?

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A secondary consumer is an organism that eats primary consumers. Examples include carnivores like snakes and some birds.

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What is a tertiary consumer?

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A tertiary consumer is an organism that eats secondary consumers. They are often top predators in the food chain.

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What is a producer?

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A producer is an organism that can make its own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, such as plants and algae.

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What is an energy pyramid?

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An energy pyramid is a graphical representation that shows the flow of energy at different trophic levels in an ecosystem, with producers at the base and top predators at the top.

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What is a top predator?

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A top predator is an organism that is at the top of the food chain and has no natural predators. Examples include lions and eagles.

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What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

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

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What is the difference between herbivores and carnivores?

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Herbivores are animals that eat plants, while carnivores are animals that eat other animals.