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23 views

Man and His Environment 1

Uploaded by

saeeda shoaib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IGCSE Biology CIE Your notes

19.1 Food Chains & Webs


Contents
19.1.1 Food Chains
19.1.2 Food Webs

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19.1.1 Food Chains


Your notes
Food Chain & Web Definitions

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Food Chains
Your notes

A food chain with three trophic levels

A food chain shows the transfer of energy from one organism to the next, starting with a producer
The source of all energy in a food chain is light energy from the Sun
The arrows in a food chain show the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next
Energy is transferred from one organism to another by ingestion (eating)
In the food chain above:

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Your notes

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19.1.2 Food Webs


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Food Webs
A food web is a network of interconnected food chains
Food webs are more realistic ways of showing connections between organisms within an
ecosystem as animals rarely exist on just one type of food source

A food web shows the interdependence of organisms

Food webs give us a lot more information about the transfer of energy in an ecosystem
They also show interdependence - how the change in one population can affect others within
the food web
For example, in the food web above, if the population of earthworms decreased:
The population of grass plants would increase as there are now fewer species feeding off
them

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The populations of frogs and mice would decrease significantly as earthworms are their
only food source
The population of sparrows would decrease slightly as they eat earthworms but also have Your notes
another food source to rely on (caterpillars)
Most of the changes in populations of animals and plants happen as a result of human impact -
either by overharvesting of food species or by the introduction of foreign species to a habitat
Due to interdependence, these can have long-lasting knock-on effects to organisms
throughout a food chain or web

Exam Tip
Questions about interdependence in food webs are common and easy to gain marks on if you
answer them fully and correctly.Do not say an animal or plant would ‘die out’ as this is unlikely to
happen – stick to using the words decrease or increase. If in doubt, always give your reason for
the increase or decrease in population.

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