Longman Science Biology 11 To 14 Sample

1.
1
8 Ecology
Food webs
? 4 Look at the food web
In a community, an organism usually feeds on several different types
of food. Instead of one simple food chain there are many food chains
in Figure 1.7.
that share the same organisms. If all the food chains are put together a
a) Write out the longest
food web is made (Figure 1.7). The arrows show the direction in
food chain starting with
leaves. [2] which the energy flows.
b) From your food chain, A food web is usually arranged with the producers at the bottom. As far
write down the name of a: as possible, organisms at the same trophic level are shown level with
i) top predator one another. This is not always possible since an organism might be at
ii) herbivore different trophic levels in two different food chains.
iii) consumer
iv) producer A food web can show omnivores. These are animals that rely on both
v) omnivore. [5] plants and animals for food. The animals at the ends of food chains are
[Total 7] called top predators and these will be found at the tops of food webs.
5 At which trophic level are
woodmice and grey squirrels? If you carefully study one area, for example a pond, you can draw a
[Total 1] food web and plot a pyramid of biomass for the whole area (Figure
6 In Figure 1.7 which organism 1.8). There are usually very few predators in the pond. If you look at
is both a secondary consumer the pyramid of biomass you can see why. The biomass gets smaller at
and a primary consumer? each trophic level. There is not enough biomass (or energy) to support
[Total 1] lots of predators.
7 State two advantages of a
food web as opposed to a
food chain for showing Decomposers
feeding relationships Simple food chains and food webs contain herbivores and carnivores.
between organisms. [Total 2] In real life not all plants are eaten by a herbivore and not all animals
are eaten by a carnivore. Animals and plants also die from disease or
old age.
There are many types of organism that eat

dead material. These are grouped together as
tawny
owl decomposers. Decomposers are organisms
stoat blue tit woodpecker that gain their energy from organisms that
have died. The main decomposers are bacteria
and fungi. They respire like all other organisms
and therefore some energy is lost to the
grey
environment as waste heat. Although energy is
squirrel woodmouse greenfly moth larvae lost, decomposers allow material to be recycled
through an ecosystem. Decomposers break
down large molecules in the dead material and
return nutrients to the soil. Bacteria and fungi
Figure 1.7 A typical food web for a
woodland.
hazelnuts leaves bark
202
Food chains and webs
8.1
Figure 1.8 A pond food web with the
pyramid of biomass.
stickleback
? 8 From where do
decomposers gain their
leech beetle water energy? [Total 1]
larvae fleas 9 Why are there far fewer top
predators in a habitat than
there are primary consumers?
[Total 2]
pond tadpoles animal
snails plankton
plant mass of individuals

pondweed
plankton
are important in recycling carbon and nitrogen compounds. A food

web should include decomposers as they are part of the community
but because they are small or microscopic they are often missed out.
Figure 1.9 Fungi feeding on a rotting
log.
client Pearson
title Biology 4617
Summary fig 8_01_08 date 28/09/01 artist JP

font 8pt Helvectica Light
Park Street, Charlbury, Oxford OX7 3PS
studio Hardlines tel: 01608 811255
A food chain shows the passage of energy between organisms.

A producer traps energy from its surroundings.
Energy passes from producer to primary consumer, to secondary consumer and on to tertiary
consumer.
Energy is lost from food chains, mainly as heat.
Pyramids of number show the decrease in number of individuals along a food chain.
Pyramids of number can be inverted if the organisms are of different sizes.
A pyramid of biomass shows the decreasing amount of matter available along a food chain.
A food web shows all the feeding relationships in a community.
Dead matter from organisms is decomposed, mainly by bacteria and fungi.
203

Longman Science Biology 11 To 14 Sample

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There are many types of organism that eat

plant mass of individuals

are important in recycling carbon and nitrogen compounds. A food

Summary fig 8_01_08 date 28/09/01 artist JP

A food chain shows the passage of energy between organisms.

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