What are the main characteristics of food chain and food web?

Here are the main features that define each concept:

Characteristics of a Food Chain:

• Linear and Simple: It shows a single, straight-line pathway for the flow of energy.
• Unidirectional Flow: Energy moves in only one direction, from a lower trophic level to a higher one.
• Distinct Trophic Levels: It clearly shows the sequence of organisms at different feeding levels (producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, etc.).
• Instability: If one organism in the chain is removed, the entire chain can collapse because there are no alternative food sources shown.

Characteristics of a Food Web:

• Interconnected Network: It is made up of many different food chains that are linked together.
• Multiple Pathways: It shows multiple pathways for energy to flow through an ecosystem.
• More Realistic: It provides a more accurate and complete picture of the complex feeding relationships in nature, as most animals eat more than one type of food.
• Stability: A food web shows that an ecosystem is more stable. If one food source becomes scarce, a consumer can switch to another food source to survive.