Food Chains and Food Webs

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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.

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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.

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What is a producer?

Back

A producer is an organism, usually a plant, that can make its own food through photosynthesis and serves as a source of energy for consumers.

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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 primary consumer?

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A primary consumer is an herbivore that eats producers (plants) in a food chain.

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What is a secondary consumer?

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A secondary consumer is a carnivore that eats primary consumers in a food chain.

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What is a tertiary consumer?

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A tertiary consumer is a carnivore that eats secondary consumers in a food chain.

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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 helping to recycle energy within the ecosystem.

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How does energy flow in a food chain?

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Energy flows from producers to consumers, with each level receiving less energy than the one before it, typically losing about 90% of energy at each trophic level.

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What happens to the population of a species if its main predator is removed?

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If a main predator is removed, the population of its prey may increase significantly due to reduced predation.