food web

American  

[food web] / ˈfud ˌwɛb /

noun

Ecology.

1. a series of organisms related by predator-prey and consumer-resource interactions; the entirety of interrelated food chains in an ecological community.

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food web British  

noun

1. a combination of food chains that integrate to form a network

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food web Scientific  

1. See under food chain

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Etymology

Origin of food web

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

SAR11 bacteria play a central role in ocean carbon cycling, helping regulate how carbon moves through marine food webs.

From Science Daily

These fossils come from the Morrison Formation* in the United States and were used to reconstruct a detailed food web, showing how plants, herbivores, and carnivores were linked through feeding relationships.

From Science Daily

Gray wolves are well known for their powerful influence on land-based food webs, where they help regulate prey populations and shape ecosystems.

From Science Daily

Marine phytoplankton are tiny algae that sit at the base of ocean food webs.

From Science Daily

While scientists are still determining their exact position in the food web, nematodes are known to be ecologically important in many environments.

From Science Daily