Question

what are the characteristics of a food chain?

Answer 1

Characteristics of a Food Chain

In a food chain,

a) there is repeated eating in which each group eats the smaller one and is eaten by the larger one. Thus, it involves a nutritive interaction between the biotic components of an ecosystem.

b) the plants and animals which depend successively on one another form the limbs of a food chain.

c) there is unidirectional flow of energy from sun to producers and then to a series of consumers of various types. Thus, a food chain is always straight and proceeds in a progressing straight line.

d) usually 80 to 90% of potential energy is lost as heat at each transfer on the basis of second law of thermodynamics (transformation of energy involves loss of unavailable energy).

e) usually there are 4 or 5 trophic levels. Shorter food chains provide greater available energy and vice - versa.

f) omnivores occupy more than one trophic level and, some organisms occupy different trophic positions in different food chains.

Answer 2

Answer:

a) there is a unidirectional flow of energy from producers to consumers

b) there are generally three to four trophic levels

c) it is always straight

d) organism can occupy different trophic levels and different food chain

e) a 10% law is followed in energy transfer