Question

Explain in detail the inter-relationship between food chain and food web?

Answer 1

Food Chains:

Food chain is a model that shows flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another organism in an ecosystem. The length of a food chain depends upon the number of organisms. It starts from producer species such as tress or grass and ending at apex predator species such as grizzly bears or killer whales; detrivores such as earthworms or woodlice; or decomposer species like fungi or bacteria. A food also shows the relation between organisms as who they are related with each other by the food they eat. Plants and animals requires some type of food. Plant produce their own found via photosynthesis process. Since they produce their own food they are called and producers while those organisms which do not produce their own food like animals and humans are known as consumers.

Food Web:

Food web or food cycle is the connection between food chains and what species eats what in an ecological system. Food web also known as consumer-resource system. Most communities in food web include various populations of producer organisms which are eaten by any number of consumer populations. For example, the green crab is a consumer and decomposer. In food web, producers are eaten by many different consumers, and most consumers onward are eaten by more than one predator. For example, a squirrel eats seeds, fruits, and nuts. The squirrel man be eaten by a fox or a raccoon. Fox also eats mice and grasshoppers , etc. Most organisms are part of several food chains. A food web starts with the producers in ecosystem and then branches off into interconnected food chains that show who eats whom in ecosystem.

Answer 2

A food web consists of many food chains. A food chain only follows just one path as animals find food. eg: A hawk eats a snake, which has eaten a frog, which has eaten a grasshopper, which has eaten grass. A food web shows the many different paths plants and animals are connected.