This is where a food web comes into place. This is when a food chain doesn’t represent the energy flow in a proper manner because there are many trophic levels that interconnect. Sometimes, a single organism gets eaten by many predators or it eats many other organisms. Learn more about Components of Ecosystem here in detail. When you look at the larger picture, a food web shows a realistic representation of the energy flow through different organisms in an ecosystem. Many interconnected food chains make up a food web. Ecological Pyramid and Ecological Succession.The digestive enzymes secreted by the decomposers help in the breakdown of the organic matter into inorganic materials. The decomposers, which are the fungi and bacteria, feed on the organic matter to meet the energy requirements. When dead organic matter becomes the starting of a food chain, then it is called the detritus food chain (DFC). Grass (Producer) -–Goat (Primary Consumer) -– Man (Secondary consumer) The different trophic levels are Primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers and quaternary consumers. Each level in the food chain is called a trophic level. Learn more about Biogeochemical Cycle here in detail.Īs the energy goes one level up, the food chain also moves up. When a goat is consumed by man, he becomes the secondary consumer. In a terrestrial ecosystem, it could be a herbivore like a cow or a goat or it could even be a man. The primary consumers are the organisms that consume the primary producers. Next in this chain is another organism, which is the consumer that eats this food, taking up that energy. This is used by the producers or plants to create their own food, through photosynthesis and grow. The sun is the source of energy, which is the initial energy source. To understand a food chain better, let us take a look at the terrestrial ecosystem. In the animal kingdom, food travels around different levels. But it flows from one level to the other, through different organisms.Ī food chain shows a single pathway from the producers to the consumers and how the energy flows in this pathway. In a community which has producers, consumers, and decomposers, the energy flows in a specific pathway. They are bigger than their prey and more agile.In scientific terms, a food chain is a chronological pathway or an order that shows the flow of energy from one organism to the other. These animals are of a sturdy constituency, coupled with a strong set of jaws and sharp dental constitution to help them tear their prey apart. Comparison Table Parameters of Comparison Predator Prey Meaning The section of animals that are built to prey on other animals The section of animals that are built to be preyed upon by other animals Dental Constitution They have a sharp and sturdy dental constitution to help them tear their prey apart They have a dental constitution that is more suited to chewing grass or anything that is not difficult to be torn apart Size They aren’t always bigger than the animals they prey upon but are more powerful Sometimes these animals are bigger than their hunters but weaker Food Chain Stages They constitute the last or stage nearing the end of the chain They come before the predators Dependency They are solely or largely dependent on their prey for survival They aren’t dependent on the predators at all What is Predator?Ī predator can be defined as a section of animals that is built to prey on other animals. These animals are of a sturdy yet weaker constituency, coupled with a dental constitution that is more suited to chewing grass or anything that is not difficult to be torn apart.
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