A food chain is a simplified representation of the feeding relationships within an ecosystem, illustrating the flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another.
It typically consists of a linear sequence of organisms, starting with a producer (such as plants or algae) that converts sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. Herbivores (animals that eat plants) occupy the next level, followed by carnivores (animals that eat other animals), and so on.
Each organism in the chain is a link that transfers energy and nutrients to the next, with decomposers like fungi and bacteria breaking down dead organisms and organic matter.
Food chains are fundamental in understanding ecosystem dynamics and how energy and matter move through ecosystems.