A food web is a diagram that shows the feeding relationships between organisms in an ecosystem. It depicts complex connections between producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers. Food webs make ecosystems more stable by providing alternative pathways and food sources if populations fluctuate. They also help control overpopulation and facilitate ecosystem development.

1. Class-10
Life Science
Food Web
AKANKSHA
INTEGRATED B.SC. B.ED
LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY, PHAGWARA

2. Food Web
• A food web is a detailed interconnecting diagram
that shows the overall food relationships between
organisms in a particular environment.
• It can be described as a "who eats whom" diagram
that shows the complex feeding relationships for a
particular ecosystem.

3. Food
Web

4. Characteristics of
Food Web

5. 1. Food web, consisting many interlinked food
chains.

6. 2. A food web provides alternative pathways of food
availability.
For example, if a particular species of producer is
destroyed by a disease in the ecosystem, the herbivores
of that area can feed on other species of producers.
Similarly, Secondary consumers (e.g., predatory birds)
may feed on rats or mice in the event of decrease in
population of rabbits in that area on which they also
commonly feed.

7. • 3. Greater alternatives available in a food web make
the ecosystem more stable.
• 4. Food webs also help in checking the
overpopulation of highly fecundive species of plants
and animals.
• 5. Food webs also help in ecosystem development.

8. Importance of the Study of
Food Webs

9. • Food webs show us how energy moves through an
ecosystem from the sun to producers to consumers.
• This interconnectedness of how organisms are involved
in this energy transfer within an ecosystem is a vital
element to understanding food webs and how they apply
to real-world science.
• Just as energy can move through an ecosystem, other
substances can move through as well. When toxic
substances or poisons are introduced into an ecosystem,
there can be devastating effects.

10. Question
• Find the different food chains forming the following
food web.