Food Webs & Key Ecological Terms
Ever wonder who eats whom in nature? Animals that eat only plants are called herbivores, while those eating only meat are carnivores. Omnivores enjoy both plant and animal foods (like us humans!).
These feeding relationships help scientists categorize organisms by how they get energy. Heterotrophs (also called consumers) need to eat other organisms for food. Meanwhile, autotrophs (producers) like plants can make their own food through processes like photosynthesis.
At the very top of food chains sit apex predators like lions or wolves - animals that have no natural predators of their own. They play a crucial role in keeping ecosystems balanced.
💡 Biomass Matters: The total amount of living tissue in each feeding level (trophic level) is called biomass. For any ecosystem to survive long-term, producers must have the greatest biomass of all levels!
