The statement that best contrasts food chains and food webs is:
- Food chains show a single path of energy in an ecosystem, and food webs show all the overlapping interconnected food chains in that ecosystem.
This answer highlights the key difference between food chains and food webs. Food chains represent a linear flow of energy from one organism to another in an ecosystem, showing a single path of energy transfer. In contrast, food webs illustrate the complex network of interconnected food chains within an ecosystem, depicting multiple pathways through which energy and nutrients flow among various organisms. By understanding this distinction, you can grasp how energy and nutrients are distributed and recycled in ecosystems more comprehensively.
