Energy Flow in Food Chains and Food Webs

Flashcards based on the Energy Flow in Food Chains and Food Webs WebQuest, covering key ecological vocabulary, trophic levels, food webs, and ecosystem disruptions.

Food Chain

A representation showing the straight-line flow of energy through organisms and demonstrating the relationship between interacting species.

Producer

An organism that creates its own energy through photosynthesis.

Primary Consumer

An organism that eats producers to transfer energy through the food chain.

Apex Predator

An organism located at the top of the food chain that has no predators.

Trophic Level

The specific position or place an organism occupies within a food chain.

10% Rule

An ecological concept stating that an organism only transfers about $10\%$ of its energy to the consumer at the next trophic level, while the remaining $90\%$ is used up in ways that prevent it from being transferred.

Food Web

A complex system of energy flow that combines many interconnected food chains within an ecosystem.

Bee Colony Collapse

An ecological disruption where a huge amount of bees leave the colony or die, leaving only a few nurse bees to care for the queen and immature bees.

Varroa Mites

Parasites that affect bee populations by spreading disease and causing mass die-offs.

Terrestrial Food Chain Diagram

A diagram showing the flow of energy across land organisms, connecting grass, grubs, blue jays, hawks, and fungi.

Ocean Food Web Diagram

A diagram showing complex marine energy pathways among species including Phytoplankton, Copepods, Blue Whale, Green Sea Turtle, Moon Jellyfish, Common Octopus, Deep-sea Anglerfish, and Great White Shark.