A food chain is a linear diagram showing how energy moves through an ecosystem. It shows only one pathway out of the many possibilities in a specific ecosystem.

A food chain is a basic network that shows the linear flow of nutrients and energy from one trophic level to another. A food web is a multitude of food chains that are interconnected at many trophic levels. Furthermore, a food web accurately represents all the various food chains that exist in an ecosystem.

What is the difference between a food web and a food chain? Food webs show how plants and animals are connected in many ways to help them survive. Food chains follow just one path as animals find food. You get energy from the food you eat.

Food chains show a single path of energy in an ecosystem, and food webs show all the overlapping food chains in that. ecosystem.

A food chain only follows just one path as animals find food. eg: A hawk eats a snake, which has eaten a frog, which has eaten a grasshopper, which has eaten grass. A food web shows the many different paths plants and animals are connected. eg: A hawk might also eat a mouse, a squirrel, a frog or some other animal.

A food chain is a series of organisms where all the organismsare dependent on next organism as a source of food. The series of organism take part at various biotic levels to form a food chain. Each step of the food chain forms a tropic level.

A food chain in an ecosystem is a series of organisms in which each organism feeds on the one below it in the series. In a forest ecosystem, grass is eaten by a deer, which in turn is eaten by a tiger. The grass, deer and tiger form a food chain (Figure 8.2).

a series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource interactions; the entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecological community.

A food web consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem. Each living thing in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains. All of the interconnected and overlapping food chains in an ecosystem make up a food web. Trophic Levels. Organisms in food webs are grouped into categories called trophic levels.

Food chain is a linear sequence of organisms which starts from producer organisms and ends with decomposer species. Food web is a connection of multiple food chains. Food chain follows a single path whereas food web follows multiple paths. Food chain and food web form an integral part of this ecosystem.

Food chains and food webs are diagrams that represent feeding relationships. Essentially, they show who eats whom. In this way, they model how energy and matter move through ecosystems.

An ecosystem usually has two different types of food webs: a grazing food web based on photosynthetic plants or algae, along with a detrital food web based on decomposers (such as fungi).

Food webs are important tools in understanding that plants are the foundation of all ecosystems and food chains, sustaining life by providing nourishment and oxygen needed for survival and reproduction.

Four characteristics of food web are:

• It consists of number of interconnected food chains through which energy travels in an ecosystem.
• Usually members of higher trophic level feed upon many organism of lower trophic level.
• Presence of complex food webs increases the stability of the ecosystem.

QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF FOODS (colour, flavour, texture, size, shape, appearance, freedom from defects).

Characteristics of Food chain:

• Producers based : All sustainable food chains are producer based.
• Energy : Producers obtain energy from sun.
• Biogenetic Nutrients : Inorganic nutrients must keep on circulating with the help of decomposers.
• Straight :
• Size :
• Populations :
• Operation at different trophic levels :

A food chain involves a nutritive interaction between the living organism of an ecosystem. It is always a straight and proceeds in a progressive straight line. In a food chain the flow of energy is unidirectional. Any food chain will have from a minimum of three to a maximum of five tropical levels.

Nutritive value is one of the hidden characteristics, which is now considered by the consumers as a quality attribute. Adulterants and toxicants are the other hidden characteristics. Toxic substances may be of microbial origin, veterinary drugs residues, pesticide residues or heavy metals.

There are six categories in the Food Pyramid: the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group (grains), the fruit group, the vegetable group, the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts group (protein), the milk, yogurt, and cheese group (dairy), and the fats, oils, and sweets group.

There are 5 major food groups:

• Vegetables.
• Protein.
• Fruits.
• Grains.
• Dairy.