{i} food chain, pyramid-shaped structure illustrating the feeding order in nature wherein each organism feeds upon the next lowest creature, feeding relationships between predators and prey wherein animals and plants get food in an ecosystem
The process of interconnected food chains (including plants, herbivores, and carnivores) that create a pathway that transfers energy throughout a biological community
A diagram that represents the feeding relationships between organisms within an ecosystem Food webs generally consist of a series of interconnecting food chains and it is important to understand that they are representative diagrams -- only some of the many possible relationships can be sown in such a diagram and it is typical to include only one or two carnivores at the highest level
The interconnected feeding relationships in an ecosystem These relationships can be complex; some organisms may feed on more than one trophic level, or changes may occur depending on a species' life history stages or the availability of food
A model describing the organisms found in a food chain Food webs describe the complex patterns of energy flow in an ecosystem by modeling who consumes who