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Food Chain • A food chain is the series of organisms showing feeding relationships. A food chain almost always begins with a green plant (producer) which is eaten by an animal (consumer). The arrow means 'is eaten by', and shows the flow of matter and energy along the food chain.
Food Web • A network of interrelated food chains in a given area. Because organisms in a habitat generally eat more than one thing, the energy produced in plants connects with several organisms living together. It shows how the loss of one organism has an effect of other organisms in the food web. This is called the interdependence of living things. • The following diagram shows the difference between a food chain and a food web.
Tropical Rainforest Food Web The food web of tropical rainforests is highly complicated and many different food chains are interlinked through this biome. However, it can be classified roughly into 4 levels. • For example, dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) find themselves at the top of the food pyramid in Australian rainforests. • The different organisms mentioned in 4 levels of the food chain are dependent on each other for obtaining nutrition. Those organisms perched on the topmost tier feed on those at the bottom. Scavengers or decomposing microbes feed on top-level organisms after their death. Organic matter formed as a result of decomposition gets mixed in the soil and thus, food cycle is completed.
Energy Flow in Food Web Flow of energy is a common factor which binds the members of food chain together. Energy originating from the sun is disintegrated through the process of decomposition.