What does a food web illustrate in an ecosystem?

A food web illustrates the complexity of feeding relationships within an ecosystem by depicting how various organisms are interconnected through their roles as producers, consumers, and decomposers. It goes beyond a simple food chain by showing multiple feeding interactions, including various paths through which energy and nutrients flow within the ecosystem.

In a food web, you can observe the interdependence of different species, as one organism can be part of multiple feeding relationships with various other organisms. For example, a single predator might eat numerous prey species, while a plant might serve as a food source for several herbivores. This complexity helps to capture the dynamic nature of ecosystems, where changes in one population can affect many others due to these intricate interactions. Understanding these relationships allows us to grasp the stability and resilience of ecosystems, as well as the impact of environmental changes on biodiversity.