food chain

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food chain

marine food chain diagram

food chain

1. A succession of organisms in an ecological community that are linked to each other through the transfer of energy and nutrients, beginning with an autotrophic organism such as a plant and continuing with each organism being consumed by one higher in the chain.

2. Informal A competitive hierarchy: works high up in the corporate food chain.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

food chain

1. (Biology) ecology a sequence of organisms in an ecosystem in which each species is the food of the next member of the chain

2. (Sociology) informal the hierarchy in an organization or society

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

food′ chain`

n.
Ecol.

a series of organisms interrelated in their feeding habits, the smallest being fed upon by a larger one, which in turn feeds a still larger one.

[1925–30]

food chain

A typical food chain in a water community would include a plant that is eaten by tadpoles, a great diving beetle that eats tadpoles, a bullfrog that eats great diving beetles, and a river otter that consumes frogs.

food chain

(fo͞od)

The sequence of the transfer of food energy from one organism to another in an ecological community. In a typical food chain, plants are eaten by herbivores, which are then eaten by carnivores. These carnivores are in turn eaten by other carnivores. ♦ Many species of animals in an ecological community feed on both plants and animals, creating a complex system of interrelated food chains known as a food web. See more at consumer, producer.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

food chain

A series of different life forms linked by what they eat and what eats them.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun

food chain - (ecology) a community of organisms where each member is eaten in turn by another member

bionomics, environmental science, ecology - the branch of biology concerned with the relations between organisms and their environment

organic phenomenon - (biology) a natural phenomenon involving living plants and animals

food cycle, food web - (ecology) a community of organisms where there are several interrelated food chains

Translations

Nahrungskette

τροφική αλυσίδα

ravintoketju

food chain

n → catena alimentare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

References in periodicals archive ?

Based on distribution channel, the foodchain services segment is expected to generate significant revenues, recording a value of over US$ 9,700 Mn by the end of 2017.

Sauces, Condiments, and Dressing Market Analysis Showcases Growth Trends and Opportunity until 2026

The practice was banned in July 1988, but by that point one million infected cows had already entered the foodchain and the government was continuing to assure the public that beef was safe to eat.

Mad Cow Disease: Experts warn a second outbreak could be on the way in new BBC documentary; A BBC investigation has revealed that for some people, the disease has an incubation period of between 30 and 50 years

US-based FoodChain ID, a platform focused on providing technology enabled food safety, quality, and sustainability solutions, has acquired Decernis LLC, a provider of technology and content solutions for compliance, safety, and risk management, the company said.

Deal snapshot: FOODCHAIN ID ACQUIRES COMPLIANCE, SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER DECERNIS

20 June 2019 - US-based FoodChain ID, a platform focused on providing technology enabled food safety, quality, and sustainability solutions, has acquired Decernis LLC, a provider of technology and content solutions for compliance, safety, and risk management, the company said.

FoodChain ID Acquires Compliance, Safety, and Risk Management Technology Provider Decernis

Nevertheless, recent comments suggest he would be open to fighting for a place in a team higher up the footballing foodchain.

Bluebirds

Meanwhile further down the foodchain, being late for a meeting at the job centre can leave you homeless.

It's the victims of austerity she should weep for

Amazonian diversity foodchain ecology as seen through fish communities.

Freshwater crabs as predators and prey: the case of Ptychophallus uncinatus Campos & Lemaitre, 1999 (Brachyura, Pseudothelphusidae) from Costa Rica, Central America

In his lyrics however you see the humour and the innate ability to sum up common experience in neat verse that has kept him at the top of the scene's foodchain for years now.

Emcee GASP backed by rapper for hip hop night

"So you have to always make sure that you know the important facts so you can understand where we are in the football foodchain.

Crewe Alex: 'Chesterfield's situation is frightening' - David Artell; Manager says it is hard to believe the Derbyshire club's plight

He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of former Paine Schwartz portfolio company, Sunrise Growers, and currently serves on the boards of directors of Paine Schwartz portfolio companies FoodChain ID, Wawona Packing and Lyons Magnus.

Paine Schwartz names operating director

Scientists are studying whether mosquitos can pass microplastics up the foodchain into humans (AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)