Food Webs
A food chain shows how an animal gets energy from one food source. But food chains can overlap. One kind of producer may be food for different kinds of consumers. Some consumers may eat different kinds of food.
When two or more food chains overlap, they form a food web. In a food web, at least one plant or animal from each food chain is part of another food chain.
A food chain shows how an animal gets energy from one food source. But food chains can overlap. One kind of producer may be food for different kinds of consumers. Some consumers may eat different kinds of food.
When two or more food chains overlap, they form a food web. In a food web, at least one plant or animal from each food chain is part of another food chain.
In this picture, the clover, grasshopper, woodpecker, and owl form a food chain. They are also part of a food web. In the food web shown, the grasshopper is not only prey for the woodpecker. It is prey for the snake, too. The grasshopper is part of a second food chain that contains the snake. The snake and woodpecker may compete with each other for this food resource.
Different food webs
Different food webs