Food Web Review

Use the words "model" and "energy" to define a food web.

A food web is a model for the flow of energy in an ecosystem.

Why is a food web a better model than a food chain?

A food web shows many paths of energy flow. A food chain is a very simple model, but a food web shows how in real life, organism get and give energy to a variety of sources.

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

Decomposers break down dead organisms (recycle) in an ecosystem. Some decomposers and fungi (mushrooms) and bacteria.

What are two ways that an organism's extinction can affect the entire ecosystem?

The creatures that the organism eats become overpopulated; the creatures that eat the organism starve.

What do the arrows in a food web represent?

The flow of energy from one organism to another.

How do the words "producer" and "consumer" relate?

The words producer and consumer are similar because they describe an organism's niche and they may provide energy for other living things. They are different because a producer (ex: algae, phytoplankton) gets energy through photosynthesis, while a consumer gets energy by eating other organisms.

How do the words "food chain" and "food web" relate?

They are similar because they both show the feeding relationships between organisms. They are different because a food chain shows only one path of energy flow; a food web shows many paths of energy flow and is therefore much more complex.