Understanding What a Food Web Is
A food web is a network that shows how different organisms in an ecosystem get energy by eating and being eaten. It connects multiple food chains into one big picture.
How a Food Web Works
Producers like plants create energy, herbivores eat them, and predators feed on other animals. These feeding links overlap, forming a web that shows how energy flows through an ecosystem.
Examples of Food Web Connections
In a forest, plants feed insects, insects feed birds, and birds may be eaten by hawks. In the ocean, algae feed small fish, which feed larger fish, which feed sharks. All these chains interact.
Why Food Webs Matter
Food webs reveal how species depend on one another. They show what happens when a species disappears, how energy moves, and how ecosystems stay stable or collapse under change.
Key Characteristics of Food Webs
• Show many interconnected food chains.
• Demonstrate how energy flows through organisms.
• Highlight predator-prey relationships.
• Help explain ecosystem stability and balance.
The Simple Takeaway
A food web is a map of who eats whom in an ecosystem. It shows how organisms depend on each other for energy, keeping nature balanced and connected.