Question

What is the definition of a food chain, food web and a food pyramid?

Answer 1

Hint: Food chain, Food web, and food pyramid are part of an ecosystem through which different living organisms interact among themselves to meet their food and energy requirements.

Complete answer:
1. Food chain- A food chain is described as a linear chain which shows the feeding relationships of different organisms. This is the simplest way of showing the relationship between animals and shows us who eats whom.
2. Food web- Food web is a complex net-like structure formed by the linking of different food chains at different sites. A food web shows numerous food chains and connections. This is a more realistic way to show the feeding relationship in an ecosystem as one organism feeds on more than one organism and is eaten by many organisms.
3. Food pyramid- Food pyramid is also known as energy pyramid. Food pyramid shows how energy flows from one trophic level to another trophic level in a pyramid. It takes into account a simple food chain and not a food web.
No energy that is trapped into an organism remains forever with them. The energy consumed or trapped is passed to the consumer at higher trophic level or the organism dies and the energy is passed through the detritus food chain.

Note:
Based on the source of nutrition or food, organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain known as trophic level. Trophic level of an organism is the position it acquires in a food chain.
The Detritus food chain begins when an organism dies. Decomposers meet their nutrient and energy requirements through dead and decaying organic matters or detritus. They secrete digestive enzymes converting the complex organic matter into simple inorganic materials.
The Detritus food chain is connected with the grazing food chain at some levels.