13.4-Food Chains and Food Webs

FOOD CHAIN • Single sequence that links species

by their feeding relationships.• Traces the transfer of energy• Simplest way to look at energy flow

in an ecosystem

Trophic Levelslevel in a food chain1. Producers always first level

2. Primary consumers next level (herbivore)

3. Secondary consumer- eat herbivores (small carnivore or omnivore)

4. Tertiary consumer-carnivores that eat secondary consumers.

FOOD WEB

• Interconnected food chains

• Organisms usually have multiple feeding relationships

FOOD WEB • More realistic

display of feeding relationships

• Arrows show transfer of ENERGY