Food web

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Food Web

A Food Web (pronunciation: /fuːd wɛb/) is a complex network of trophic interactions among different species in an ecosystem. It represents the flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another, starting from primary producers and ending with apex predators or decomposers.

Etymology

The term "Food Web" was first used in the ecological literature in the 1920s. It is derived from the words "food," which comes from the Old English fōda meaning "nourishment," and "web," which comes from the Old English webb meaning "woven fabric," symbolizing the interconnectedness of the different species.

Definition

A Food Web is a graphical representation of the feeding relationships among species within an ecosystem. It includes multiple food chains, which are linear sequences of who eats whom. In a Food Web, each species is connected to one or more others, forming a complex network of interactions.

Components of a Food Web

Importance of Food Webs

Food Webs are crucial for understanding the complexity of ecological interactions within an ecosystem. They help ecologists predict how changes in one species' population can affect others. They also illustrate the concept of trophic levels, showing how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem.

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski