Food web: Difference between revisions
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As usually diagrammed, an [[organism]] is connected to another organism for which it is a source of [[food energy]] and [[food|material]] by an arrow representing the direction of [[biomass]] transfer. Organisms are grouped into [[trophic level]]s—from the Greek word for nourishment, trophikos—based on how many links they are removed from the [[primary producer]]s. Primary producers, or [[autotroph]]s, are species capable of producing complex organic substances (essentially "food") from an energy source and inorganic materials. These organisms are typically [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic plants]], [[bacteria]] or [[algae]], but in rare cases, like those organisms forming the base of deep-sea vent food webs, can be [[chemotroph]]ic. All organisms that eat the [[autotrophs]] are called [[heterotrophs]]. They get their energy by eating the producers. |
As usually diagrammed, an [[organism]] is connected to another organism for which it is a source of [[food energy]] and [[food|material]] by an arrow representing the direction of [[biomass]] transfer. Organisms are grouped into [[trophic level]]s—from the Greek word for nourishment, trophikos—based on how many links they are removed from the [[primary producer]]s. Primary producers, or [[autotroph]]s, are species capable of producing complex organic substances (essentially "food") from an energy source and inorganic materials. These organisms are typically [[photosynthesis|photosynthetic plants]], [[bacteria]] or [[algae]], but in rare cases, like those organisms forming the base of deep-sea vent food webs, can be [[chemotroph]]ic. All organisms that eat the [[autotrophs]] are called [[heterotrophs]]. They get their energy by eating the producers. |
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== Food chain== |
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A '''food chain''' describes a single pathway that energy and nutrients may follow in an ecosystem. There is one organism per trophic level, and trophic levels are therefore easily defined. They usually start with a primary producer and end with a top [[predator]]. Here is an example of a food chain: |
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::[[phytoplankton]] → [[copepod]] → [[fish]] → [[squid]] → [[seal (mammal)|seal]] → [[orca]] |
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This "chain" can be described as follows: Orca (also known as "killer whales") feed upon seals, that feed upon squid, that eat small fish, that feed on copepods, that feed on microscopic [[alga]]e. In this example, algae—autotrophs by virtue of their ability to photosynthesize—are the base of the food chain. It is always the case that numbers—or at least biomass—decreases from the base of the chain to the top. In other words, the number and mass of phytoplankton cells are much greater than the number and mass of copepods being supported by the phytoplankton. Viewed another way: to support one orca requires many seals, large numbers of squid, huge numbers of fish, and so on down the chain (see [[energy pyramid]]). This is because, with each transfer, some of the energy is lost to the environment. On average, only 10% of the organism's energy is passed on to its predator. |
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Food chains are overly simplistic as representatives of what typically happens in nature. The food chain shows only one pathway of energy and material transfer. Most consumers feed on multiple species and are, in turn, fed upon by multiple other species. The relations of detritivores and parasites are seldom adequately characterized in such chains as well. |
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== Food web == |
== Food web == |
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Revision as of 13:32, 16 November 2006
Food chains and food webs and/or food networks describe the feeding relationships between species in a biotic community. In other words, they show the transfer of material and energy from one species to another within an ecosystem.
As usually diagrammed, an organism is connected to another organism for which it is a source of food energy and material by an arrow representing the direction of biomass transfer. Organisms are grouped into trophic levels—from the Greek word for nourishment, trophikos—based on how many links they are removed from the primary producers. Primary producers, or autotrophs, are species capable of producing complex organic substances (essentially "food") from an energy source and inorganic materials. These organisms are typically photosynthetic plants, bacteria or algae, but in rare cases, like those organisms forming the base of deep-sea vent food webs, can be chemotrophic. All organisms that eat the autotrophs are called heterotrophs. They get their energy by eating the producers.
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Food web
A food web or food network extends food chain concept from a simple linear pathway to a complex network of interactions. The direct steps as shown in the food chain example above seldom reflect reality. This "web" makes it possible to show much bigger animals (like a whale) eating very small organisms (like plankton). Food sources of most species in an ecosystem are much more diverse, resulting in a complex web of relationships as shown in the figure on the right. In this figure, the grouping of Phytoplankton → Herbivorous zooplankton → Carnivorous zooplankton → Arctic char → Capelin on the far right is a food chain; the whole complex network is a food web/network.
External links
- Science aid: Food chains Food chains, pyramids of number and biomass designed for teens
- Antarctic Food Web and Chains
- Example of a food chain
- Food Chains Quiz