Question

How many types of the food chain are there?
a. 3
b. 2
c. 7
d. 4

Answer 1

Hint: A food chain is defined as the transfer of the energy and nutrients through a succession of organisms through the repeat process of eating and being eaten. The food from one trophic level reaches the other trophic level thus establishing a food chain. This chain is of different types either it starts from dead organic material or the green plants.

Complete answer:
The food chain is defined as the transfer of energy and nutrients from one organism to another arranged in a linear sequence. It starts with the producer and ends with the decomposer.

In any ecosystem, mostly green plants serve as a producer of food energy. The food prepared by plants is utilized by themselves and also by herbivores, which in turn form the food for carnivores and finally, the microbes or decomposers feed upon the dead plants and animals. This way the food travels from one level to another and a chain is established.

There are two types of food chains:
- The grazing or predator food chain- it starts from plants that go from smaller to larger animals. The food is produced by plants and then it passes into herbivores and then to the carnivores.
- The detritus or saprophytic chain- it goes from dead organic matter to micro-organisms. It has different species like algae, fungi, maggots, protozoa, insects, worms, etc.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Understanding of food chains is important, as food chains explain the close relationships existing in an ecosystem. A food chain depicts how every living organism is dependent on other organisms for living. The food chain demonstrates the way energy and nutrients flow inside an ecosystem.