Food webs

Science

Definition

A complex network of interconnected food chains showing the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem. Food webs illustrate how energy and nutrients flow through multiple pathways, making ecosystems more stable than simple food chains.

Examples

  • An ocean food web connecting phytoplankton to fish, seals, and sharks through multiple paths
  • A grassland web where mice are eaten by both snakes and hawks
  • Removing a keystone predator like wolves causing cascading effects through the web

Related Terms

Energy flow Ecosystems Community ecology Biodiversity

Study This Concept

Practice food webs with free review games in these units:

AP Environmental Science Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems Biology Unit 7: Ecology and Ecosystems