What is Food Web?
A food web consists by a complex network of interconnected food chains that represent the direction of the flow of energy and nutrients among various organisms in an ecosystem. It represents the complex relationships between producers, consumers, and decomposers.
In food web trophic levels, organisms are arranged into different levels, with producers at the base, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers. All the organisms including predators, prey, and scavengers interact within this food web, which influences the population dynamics.
Decomposers break down dead matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. Each level in the food web depends on the lower level for energy and nutrients. Change in one trophic level impacts the other tropic levels or the whole food web. It shows the dependency of one trophic level on another and the importance of biodiversity.
Food Web – Definition, Diagram, Food Chain and Examples
A food web is a natural interaction between the different food chains that represent the flow of nutrients and energy within the ecosystem. It is also known as a consumer-resource system. Food web provides an overview of the feeding behaviour of different animals, their interactions with each other and their surrounding.
The food Web acts as a valuable tool in understanding the flow of energy and nutrients represents species interactions, provides ecosystem services and contributes to biodiversity. In this article, we will study food webs in detail.
Table of Content
- What is Food Web?
- Food Web Diagram
- Food Web Trophic Levels
- Food Web Examples
- What is Food Chain?
- Difference between Food web and Food chain
- Importance of Food web
- Conclusion – Food Web
- FAQs on Food Web