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Living things in a food web depend on one another. Suppose the population of one organism in a food web changes. A population is all the members of a single type of organism in an environment.

Kelp Forests
When one population in a food web changes, all the populations in the food web can also be affected. This is what happened in the ocean's kelp forests. Kelp is a type of seaweed. Kelp forests are home to thousands of ocean creatures. Some kelp forests have been greatly changed by just one animal. That animal is a sea otter.

Sea otters eat several animals in their ocean food web. They eat sea stars, sea urchins, mussels, crabs, and large fish. The kelp forests were almost destroyed when the sea-otter population changed about 200 years ago.

A Sea Without Sea Otters
What happened to the kelp forests? In the 1800s, too many sea otters were hunted for their fur. Without sea otters, fewer sea urchins were eaten. Soon, too many sea urchins were being born. Smaller fish could not survive, because sea urchins ate their supplies of kelp. These fish were food for sea stars and crabs. The sea stars and crabs began to die out.

Mussels also depended on kelp to stay alive. Fewer mussels meant fewer crabs and large fish that depended on mussels for food. After a while, even decomposers could not survive. Without the sea otter to help control the size of the sea-urchin population, the kelp forests almost disappeared.

In the 1900s, many countries agreed to stop hunting sea otters. The kelp-forest food web became balanced again. Now, new food-web changes are putting kelp forests in danger again.
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What is the primary difference between interaction webs and food webs?

Food webs specifically show the flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem via feeding relationships, while interaction webs include other types of relationships such as competition, predation, and mutualism. Interaction webs provide a more comprehensive view of the complex interactions within an ecosystem beyond just who eats whom.


What are the differences between classical food web and present food web?

Classical food webs are simplified representations of energy flow in an ecosystem, while present food webs are more complex and inclusive of a wider range of organisms and interactions. Present food webs also consider more factors like human impacts, climate change, and invasive species. Additionally, present food webs may incorporate networks of interactions rather than linear chains of energy transfer.


What two major elements make up most food webs?

There is only two general types of food webs: land and marine life.but there are probably many that have a specific animal in them.


What do food webs link?

A food web is, to put it simply, a much more complex version of a food chain. A food chain goes in increasing order of what eats what, but a food web shows all of the connections between all of the living organisms in the habitat that relate to the predator/prey relationship.


What are the possible effects of food chain and food web on food production?

Food chains and food webs play a crucial role in food production as they regulate the balance of predator-prey relationships, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity in ecosystems. Disruptions in these relationships can lead to imbalances in populations, which could affect crop pollination, pest control, and overall productivity of agriculture. Additionally, changes in food chains and food webs due to factors like climate change or pollution can impact the availability of key species that contribute to food production.

Related Questions

Does deforestation change food webs by destroying habitat?

no


Can deforestation change food webs by destroying habitat?

yes


How are food chansand food webs different?

Food chains and food webs are different. This is because the webs have more relative food choices whereas the chains are limited.


What do food webs show us what food chains dont?

Food webs and food chains are mostly the same


Do food webs only contain animals?

No, grass is in food webs too... but its at the bottom.


What are two types of global food webs and how are they connected?

Global food webs include webs that begin on land and webs that begin in water. These are both connect because they are both part of Global warming and both relate to food webs. you know hat i mean right?


What are the two types of global food webs and how they are connected?

Global food webs include webs that begin on land and webs that begin in water. These are both connect because they are both part of Global warming and both relate to food webs. you know hat i mean right?


How many types of food webs are there and what are they?

there are four types of food webs. Ask your science teacher she or he will know.


Where are most food webs found?

Rain forests and stuff. I don't know. What kind of food webs?


What is the primary difference between interaction webs and food webs?

Food webs specifically show the flow of energy and nutrients through an ecosystem via feeding relationships, while interaction webs include other types of relationships such as competition, predation, and mutualism. Interaction webs provide a more comprehensive view of the complex interactions within an ecosystem beyond just who eats whom.


Why is there competition in food chains and food webs?

== ==


How do spiders get there food?

by their webs