Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
food chain
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images & Videos
Illustration of an ocean food chain showing sunlight supporting one-celled life like dinoflagellates and diatoms, which are eaten by shrimplike copepods. These are consumed by small fish, which are then eaten by mackerel, followed by tuna, and finally a large shark at the top of the food web. Diagram of a terrestrial food chain showing plants as primary producers, eaten by herbivorous mammals and insects, which are consumed by small and large predators, with decomposers like fungi, bacteria, and earthworms recycling organic matter.
Close-up of a spider with a yellow and black striped body sitting at the center of its web, with a blurred green background.
Illustration comparing a complex ocean food web, with interconnected feeding relationships among marine animals and plankton, to a simple linear food chain showing energy flow from sun to producers, primary consumers, and up to top predators. An energy pyramid diagram showing four levels: producers like grass at the base, primary consumers such as rabbits above, secondary consumers like snakes next, and a tertiary consumer, an eagle, at the top. Arrows indicate energy transfer upward and energy loss at each level.
How an ecosystem works
Take an in-depth look at the variety of plankton, from diatoms and microflagellates to jellyfish

food chain: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Invalidated site: Northern Arizona University - The Food Chain. Sep 20, 2026
Add new Web site: Frontiers - Frontiers in Microbiology - Antibiotic Resistance in the Food Chain: A Developing Country-Perspective. Jan 23, 2026
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - Food Chains and Food Webs. Dec 10, 2025
Add new Web site: Cell Press - Current Biology - Down the food chain. Apr 14, 2025
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Food-chain length and adaptive foraging. Nov 18, 2024
Add new Web site: Northern Arizona University - The Food Chain. Nov 07, 2023
Add new Web site: Biology LibreTexts - Food Chains and Food Webs. Mar 27, 2023
Add new Web site: United States Environmental Protection Agency - Food chains and Food Webs. Dec 12, 2022
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Food chains and food webs. Aug 26, 2022
Corrected display issue. Jan 30, 2020
Add new Web site: National Geographic - Food chain. Nov 18, 2019
Media added. Sep 08, 2017
Add new Web site: Easy Science for Kids - Food Chains for Kids Video. Jan 05, 2017
Add new Web site: World Wide Fund For Nature - Food chains and food webs. Aug 19, 2016
Add new Web site: Rader's Geography4Kids - Food Chain. Feb 14, 2014
Diagram of the terrestrial food chain added. Oct 25, 2012
Error corrected concerning the description of a predator food chain. The wording was changed from "larger" to "flesh-eating," since predators are sometimes smaller than their prey. Jun 02, 2009
Added new Web site: Kimball's Biology Pages - Food Chains. Apr 07, 2009
Added new Web site: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point - Trophic Levels and Food Chains. Apr 07, 2009
Line art depicting the oceanic food chain added. Jan 21, 2009
Added new Web site: British Broadcasting Corporation - Food Chain. Jan 23, 2008
Added new Web site: Enchanted Learning - Food Chain. Jan 23, 2008
Added new Web site: Kildeer Countryside Virtual Wetlands Preserve - Mink Food and Hunting. Oct 30, 2007
Media added. Jul 03, 2007
Added new Web site: University of West Florida - Pakistan - Taliban, Afghanistan. Sep 07, 2006
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
View Changes:
Article History
Revised:
By: