Food webs and ecosystems

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課程筆記

What is a food web?

  • A food web is the natural interconnection of food chains, showing 'what-eats-what' in an ecological community.
  • It is a simplified illustration of feeding pathways that link an ecosystem into a unified system of exchange.
  • Food webs map trophic links (feeding connections) between species or functional groups.
  • Food chains are linear, non-cyclic feeding pathways nested within a food web.

Trophic levels

  • Organisms are grouped into trophic levels based on their position in the food web.
  • Basal species (e.g., plants, algae) form the first trophic level; they are autotrophs that produce their own food.
  • Primary consumers (herbivores) eat producers; secondary consumers (carnivores) eat herbivores; tertiary consumers eat other carnivores.
  • Apex predators are at the top level with no natural predators.
  • Omnivores feed on more than one trophic level, causing energy to flow through multiple pathways.

Autotrophs and heterotrophs

  • Autotrophs (e.g., plants, cyanobacteria) produce biomass energy via photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.
  • Heterotrophs (e.g., animals, fungi) consume organic matter for energy and nutrients.
  • Some organisms (e.g., carnivorous plants) are mixotrophs, acting as both autotrophs and heterotrophs.

Energy flow in ecosystems

  • Energy flows through a food web from producers to consumers and decomposers.
  • Only about 10% of energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next; the rest is lost as heat or used for metabolism.
  • This energy loss limits the number of trophic levels in an ecosystem (usually 4–5).

Abiotic and biotic factors

  • Biotic factors are living components (plants, animals, bacteria) that interact in the food web.
  • Abiotic factors are non-living physical and chemical components (sunlight, temperature, water, soil) that affect the ecosystem.
  • Changes in abiotic factors (e.g., drought) can alter food web structure and population sizes.

Impact of changes on food webs

  • Removing a species (e.g., a predator or prey) can cause cascading effects throughout the food web.
  • Habitat destruction reduces available resources, leading to population declines or extinctions.
  • Introducing a new species can disrupt existing feeding relationships and outcompete native species.

Decomposers and detritivores

  • Decomposers (bacteria, fungi) break down dead organic matter, releasing nutrients back into the ecosystem.
  • Detritivores (e.g., earthworms, millipedes) consume detritus and help in decomposition.
  • Decomposers are essential for nutrient cycling and are often included as a basal or separate trophic group.

Food web models and limitations

  • Food webs are simplified representations that often aggregate many species into trophic species (functional groups).
  • Ecologists use mathematical models to study food web dynamics and network properties.
  • Real ecosystems are more complex; food webs may omit parasites, microbes, or other important interactions.

Energy pyramid showing trophic levels and energy transfer (only ~10% passes to the next level).

Energy (trophic) pyramidProducersgrass, algaePrimary consumersrabbits, insectsSecondary consumersfoxes, birdsTertiaryconsumersenergy lost at each level

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練習題

免費預覽——53 題中的 8 題。註冊即可查看全部。
  1. 1.What is the original source of energy for most food webs?

    Easy
    • AThe Sun
    • BPlants
    • CHerbivores
    • DDecomposers
  2. 2.Which of the following is an abiotic factor in an ecosystem?

    Easy
    • ATemperature
    • BGrass
    • CRabbit
    • DFungi
  3. 3.In a food chain, which trophic level do primary consumers occupy?

    Easy
    • ASecond trophic level
    • BFirst trophic level
    • CThird trophic level
    • DFourth trophic level
  4. 4.Which of the following statements about food webs is correct?

    Easy
    • AFood webs show only one feeding pathway in an ecosystem.
    • BFood webs are made up of interconnected food chains.
    • CFood webs do not include decomposers.
    • DFood webs only include animals.
  5. 5.What would most likely happen to the population of rabbits if all the foxes in a food web were removed?

    Medium
    • AThe rabbit population would initially increase, then may decrease due to food shortage.
    • BThe rabbit population would decrease immediately.
    • CThe rabbit population would remain unchanged.
    • DThe rabbit population would become extinct.
  6. 6.Which of the following organisms is a decomposer?

    Easy
    • AFungi
    • BGrass
    • CRabbit
    • DFox
  7. 7.In an energy pyramid, which trophic level has the greatest amount of energy?

    Easy
    Energy (trophic) pyramidProducersGrassPrimary consumersRabbitSecondaryconsumersenergy lost at each level
    • AProducers
    • BPrimary consumers
    • CSecondary consumers
    • DTertiary consumers
  8. 8.In the energy pyramid shown, which level represents the organisms that obtain energy directly from the producers?

    Easy
    Energy (trophic) pyramidProducersGrassPrimary consumersRabbitSecondaryconsumersenergy lost at each level
    • APrimary consumers
    • BProducers
    • CSecondary consumers
    • DTertiary consumers

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