Temperate deciduous food web

A temperate deciduous forest food web shows how plants, animals, fungi, and microbes exchange energy and matter. Trees, shrubs, and other plants are producers; herbivores and omnivores consume plant material, while predators feed on animals.

How it works

The web includes decomposers and detritivores that process fallen leaves, dead organisms, and waste. Their activity returns nutrients to the soil, where plants can use them again. Energy, unlike many nutrients, moves through the system and dissipates as heat.

Example or application

Oak leaves may feed caterpillars, which can be eaten by birds; seeds may feed rodents, which may be hunted by owls. The same species can occupy more than one feeding role, and seasonal food availability changes connections.

Scope and limits

A food web is a model, not a complete inventory. Species differ by region and season, and a single organism may have many food sources and predators.

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