What is a food chain?

A food chain is defined as a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass. This concept illustrates how energy flows from one organism to another in an ecosystem, beginning with primary producers like plants that convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. As organisms consume each other, the energy transfers from producers to primary consumers (herbivores), and subsequently to secondary and tertiary consumers (carnivores and omnivores).

This linear representation helps to simplify the more complex interactions within an ecosystem, focusing on direct feeding relationships rather than the elaborate networks that can exist. Understanding a food chain provides essential insights into energy transfer and ecological roles, highlighting the importance of each organism in maintaining ecosystem balance. Other options, such as complex networks or diagrams of soil nutrients, do not accurately capture the essence of a food chain, which centers specifically on direct feeding interactions and energy flow.