Food Webs

In ecosystems, organisms often feed on multiple types of organisms, forming complex food webs rather than simple food chains. For instance, coyotes consume various animals like mice and rabbits, while squirrels can be prey for hawks and snakes. Food webs better illustrate these intricate relationships, showing energy flow between organisms. The video highlights the complexity of food webs in ecosystems, using a forest as an example.

Which of the following best describes the diet of a coyote?

• Coyotes eat only squirrels.

• Coyotes eat a variety of animals including mice and chipmunks.

• Coyotes eat only rabbits.

• Coyotes are herbivores.

What is a food web?

• A simple linear chain of organisms.

• A representation of complex relationships between organisms in an ecosystem.

• A diagram showing only predators in an ecosystem.

• A chart of plant growth in a forest.

How does a food web differ from a food chain?

• A food web shows multiple interconnected food chains.

• A food web only includes herbivores.

• A food web is a list of all animals in an ecosystem.

• A food web is a linear sequence of organisms.

What do the arrows in a food web represent?

• The direction of water flow.

• The flow of energy between organisms.

• The migration path of animals.

• The growth direction of plants.

Why is a food web considered a simplified representation?

• It shows only the largest predators.

• It includes every organism in the ecosystem.

• It only shows a small number of living things and their interactions.

• It depicts the exact number of organisms in an ecosystem.