AP Environmental Science Flashcards: Food Chains and Food Webs
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
Define 'Trophic Level' in the context of a food web.
A trophic level refers to the position a constituent member (an organism) occupies within a food chain or food web.
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Define 'Trophic Level' in the context of a food web.
A trophic level refers to the position a constituent member (an organism) occupies within a food chain or food web.
What is a food web?
A food web is a model of an interlocking pattern of food chains that depicts the flow of energy and nutrients in two or more food chains.
What is a food chain?
A food chain is a singular pathway showing the flow of energy and nutrients, while a food web is a more complex model showing the interlocking of multiple food chains.
What fundamental process is depicted by food chains and food webs?
Food chains and food webs depict the flow of energy and nutrients among the different trophic levels within an ecosystem.
What is the relationship between a food chain and a food web?
A food web is a more complex model representing an interlocking pattern of two or more individual food chains.
How are the members of food chains and food webs organized?
The constituent members of food chains and food webs are described and organized by their trophic level.
What is a potential consequence of removing a species from a food web?
When one species is removed from a specific food web, the rest of the food web can be affected, potentially triggering feedback loops.
An invasive species is introduced to an ecosystem. How might this impact the existing food web?
The addition of a new species to a food web can affect the entire system, as it disrupts the established flow of energy and nutrients.
What role do feedback loops play in food webs?
Positive and negative feedback loops can each play a role in food webs, especially when a species is added or removed, affecting the stability of the system.
What does the interconnectedness of a food web imply about ecosystem stability?
The interlocking nature of a food web implies that a change in one part of the web, such as the removal of a species, can have widespread effects on the rest of the system.