What is a common characteristic shared by both food chains and food webs?

A common characteristic shared by both food chains and food webs is that they depict the feeding relationships among organisms in an ecosystem. Both models illustrate how energy flows from one organism to another through consumption, showing which organisms are eaten by others and how they interact within their environment. In a food chain, this relationship is presented in a linear way, while a food web offers a more complex and interconnected view, illustrating multiple feeding relationships among numerous organisms. This fundamental aspect of understanding the roles of different species in an ecosystem is essential for studying ecological interactions and energy transfer.

The other options do not accurately capture a shared characteristic of food chains and food webs. While food chains and food webs categorize organisms based on their interactions, they do not specifically categorize them solely into producer and consumer roles or primarily illustrate photosynthesis. Additionally, habitat preferences are not a main focus of either model; rather, they concentrate on feeding relationships.