Food Chains and Ecosystem Relationships
Food chains are like nature's energy transfer system, showing who eats whom and how energy flows from plants to animals. Energy decreases at each level because organisms use most of it for movement, growth, and staying warm - with some lost as waste heat.
Food webs give us the full picture since most animals aren't picky eaters with just one food source. They're interconnected networks that show the real complexity of who depends on whom for survival.
Interdependence means every organism is connected - if rabbit populations crash due to disease, fox numbers will drop too because they've lost their main food source. It's like a domino effect throughout the entire ecosystem.
Bioaccumulation is when toxic chemicals build up in organisms as they move up the food chain, becoming more concentrated in top predators. This shows why protecting the environment matters for all life forms.
Remember: In any ecosystem, every organism has a specific niche - their unique role and position that keeps the whole system balanced!