Latest Food Chain and Food Web MCQ Objective Questions
Food Chain and Food Web Question 1:
Select the FALSE statement with reference to the food chain.
- Inter-relation between different food chains is known as a food web.
- All the chains formed by nutritional relations is used to understand energy flow.
- Only producers of food chain form a trophic level.
- More than one of the above
- None of the above
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : Only producers of food chain form a trophic level.
Food Chain and Food Web Question 1 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Only producers of the food chain form a trophic level.
Key Points
- There are unique interactions and relationships which are involved in the transportation of energy.
- The energy, once produced and captured, is distributed throughout the various living organisms.
- This transfer of energy is termed the food web.
- In specialized terms, Food Chain is the sequence through which the transfer of energy takes place within a particular ecosystem.
- Energy transfer is pivotal for the survival and food of living organisms.
- Trophic position refers to the successional stages in a food chain, starting with directors at the bottom, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.
- Every position in a food chain is known as a trophic position. Hence, the Option 3 is Incorrect.
Important Points
- Both food chains and food webs, share three types of organisms in a food chain: Producers, Consumers, and decomposers.
- Producers: The producers in a food chain include all autotrophs such as phytoplankton.
- This is the first stage in a food chain.
- The producers make up the first level of a food chain.
- Consumers: Consumers are all organisms that are dependent on plants or other organisms for food.
- This is the largest part of a food web, as it contains almost all living organisms.
- It includes herbivores which are animals that eat plants, carnivores which are animals that eat other animals, parasites that live on other organisms by harming them, and lastly scavengers, which are animals that eat dead animals’ carcasses.
- Decomposers: Decomposers are organisms that get energy from dead or waste organic material.
- This is the last stage in a food chain.
- Decomposers are an integral part of a food chain, as they convert organic waste materials into inorganic materials, which enriches the soil or land with nutrients.
- Producers: The producers in a food chain include all autotrophs such as phytoplankton.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 2:
In a food chain, _______ can be taken as the average value for the amount of organic matter that is present at each step and reaches the next level of consumers.
- 1%
- 0.01%
- 10%
- More than one of the above
- None of the above
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : 10%
Food Chain and Food Web Question 2 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is10%.Key Points
- The term "trophic level transfer efficiency" is the average amount of organic matter that is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
- This value is usually around 10%, meaning that only 10% of the organic matter from one level is transferred to the next level.
- Because energy is lost as metabolic heat when animals from one trophic level are consumed by species from the next, energy declines as it goes up the trophic levels.
Additional Information
- The food chain is a straight line made up of creatures in which energy and nutrients are passed from one to the next.
- When one creature eats another, this happens.
- The decomposer organism comes at the end of the chain, having started with the producer organism.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 3:
The trophic level of lion in forest ecosystem is
- T3
- T4
- T2
- More than one of the above
- None of the above
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : T4
Food Chain and Food Web Question 3 Detailed Solution
- An ecosystem is defined asthe interaction of living organisms (biotic components) with each other and non-living (abiotic components)factors in the surrounding environment.
- It is the basic structural and functional unit of ecology.
- The term 'Ecosystem' was first coined by A.G.Tansleyin 1935.
- Biotic components of an ecosystem refer to all living components and abiotic components include sunlight, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, water, air, wind, soil, nutrients, etc.
- The ecosystem supports life systems and renders stability in the environment.
- It maintains a balance innutrient cyclingbetween biotic and abiotic components.
- Also maintains energy flow among the trophic levels.
- The types of ecosystems include- aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Important Points
- Trophic levels are multiple steps in a food chain or ecological pyramid where food (or energy) is transferred from one organism to another.
- Based on the source of their nutrition or food, specific organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain.
- There are four types of trophic levels-
- The First trophic level (T1) - containedproducers that produce their own food.
- The Second trophic level (T2) - is occupied bythe primary consumers, i.e., herbivores.
- The Third trophic level (T3) - is occupied bythe secondary consumers, i.e., the first carnivores.
- The Fourth trophic level (T4) - is occupied by the tertiary consumers, i.e., the second carnivores.
- The trophic level of lions in the forest ecosystem is T4.
- In a foodchain lion comes as tertiary consumers.
- Lions feedon secondary consumers like foxes, wild dogs,weasels, snakes,birds,etc.
Hence, the correct answer is option (2).
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 4:
Which of the following food chains is not written correctly?
- Green plants → Deer → Tiger
- Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake
- Marine algae → Small fish → Large fish → Shark
- More than one of the above
- None of the above
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake
Food Chain and Food Web Question 4 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Option 2 (Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake).
Concept:
- Food chain:
- A food chain depicts thefeeding relationship between various organisms in a specific environment.
- The transfer of energy from producers to top consumers, and from consumers to decomposers through a series of organisms is called a food chain.
- Each step or level of the food chain forms atrophic level.
- The autotrophs or the producers are at the first trophic level.
- The herbivores or the primary consumers come at the second, small carnivores, or the secondary consumers at the third, and larger carnivores, or the tertiary consumers form the fourth trophic level.
Explanation:
Green plants → Deer → Tiger (Correct)
- In this food chain, grass is the producer, while deer and tigersare all consumers who rely on one another for food.
Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake (Incorrect)
- In this food chain,Grass is the producer, so it occupies the first trophic level.
- Mouse, the primary consumers, form the second trophic level, followed by the snake, the secondary consumer, and finally, the hawk, the top consumer, which forms the fourth trophic level.
- Thus, the correct sequence isGrass → Mouse → Snake → Hawk.
Marine algae → Small fish → Large fish → Shark(Correct)
- In this food chain,marine algaeare primary producers andsmall fishes are the primary consumers.
- Large fishes are consuming primary consumers (small fishes), therefore they are secondary consumers.
- Sharks aretertiary consumers.
Seeds → Squirrel → Owl(Correct)
- Seeds are the starting point of this food chain.
- Squirrels are considered primary consumers in this food chain because they feed directly on the seeds.
- Owls are carnivorous predators that feed on small animals, including squirrels.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 5:
Which of the following combinations are most suitable for composite fish culture?
- Middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
- Surface feeders only
- Surface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
- More than one of the above
- None of the above
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : Surface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
Food Chain and Food Web Question 5 Detailed Solution
The correct answer isSurface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
Explanation:
- composite fish culture is a common method for getting the most fish out of a pond or reservoir.
- Through the use of various feeding zones of the pond or water tank, the technology employs suitable and non-competing fish culture, leading to a high fish output per unit area of water.
- Surface feeders, intermediate zone feeders, and bottom feeders are ideal for composite fish production since they consume all available food and do not compete for it
- Five to six distinct kinds of fish can be cultivated together in the same fish pond in the composite fish culture.
Additional Information
- It is also called Polyculture.
- The selected fishes should be from different food habitats to avoid the food fight.
- Composite fish culture can increase the yield of the fish
- Example of compositefish culture:Catla feed on the surface of the water, Rohu are middle zone feeders, Mrigal and common carp are bottom feeders, and Grass crap feed on weeds.
- The survival rate of fish is high in composite fish culture.
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Top Food Chain and Food Web MCQ Objective Questions
Food Chain and Food Web Question 6
Download Solution PDFIn a food chain, _______ can be taken as the average value for the amount of organic matter that is present at each step and reaches the next level of consumers.
- 1%
- 0.01%
- 0.1%
- 10%
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 4 : 10%
Food Chain and Food Web Question 6 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is10%.Key Points
- The term "trophic level transfer efficiency" is the average amount of organic matter that is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
- This value is usually around 10%, meaning that only 10% of the organic matter from one level is transferred to the next level.
- Because energy is lost as metabolic heat when animals from one trophic level are consumed by species from the next, energy declines as it goes up the trophic levels.
Additional Information
- The food chain is a straight line made up of creatures in which energy and nutrients are passed from one to the next.
- When one creature eats another, this happens.
- The decomposer organism comes at the end of the chain, having started with the producer organism.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 7
Download Solution PDFWhich of the following represents a detritus food chain?
- Oak tree→ Insects → Warbler
- Grass → Rat → Snake → Eagle
- Phytoplanktons → Zooplanktons → Small fish → Large fish
- Dead leaves → Woodlouse→ Black bird
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 4 : Dead leaves → Woodlouse→ Black bird
Food Chain and Food Web Question 7 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFConcept:
- The transfer of food energy from producers (plants) through a series of organisms that consume and are consumed is termed the food chain.
- A food chain shows the linear movement of energy through a system by indicating the path of food from a producer to a final consumer.
- Food chains may have 3 to 5 trophic links with 15 to 20 species.
- The length of a particular food chain reflects the physical characteristics of a particular ecosystem.
- Within any ecosystem, there are 2 major food chains, such as theGrazing food chainand theDetritus food chain.
- The difference between these two food chains is the source of energy for the primary consumers.
- The grazing food chain starts with photosynthetic plants, while the detritus food chain starts with dead organic matter.
- Most of the natural ecosystems possess both grazing and detritus food chains.
- In terrestrial and shallow-water ecosystems grazing food chains dominate because a major proportion of the annual energy flow passes through this chain.
- In tidal marshes, almost 90% of the primary production is routed through the detritus food chains.
Explanation:
- Detritus food chains begin with dead organic matter and go from non-living organic matter to detrivores and their predators.
- Dead leaves → Woodlouse → Blackbirdrepresents the detritus food chain.
- A large amount of organic matter is generated by the death of plants and their parts, animals, and their excretory products in all ecosystems.
- In these food chains, the flow of energy is not unidirectional.
- The waste materials and dead organic matter in each of the trophic levels are recycled and returned as input to the dead organic matter at the base of the detritus food chains.
Additional Information
- Oaktree → Insects → Warbler andGrass → Rat → Snake → Eaglefood chain represents the grazing food chain.
- Phytoplanktons → Zooplanktons → Small fish → Large fish food chain represents the aquatic grazing food chain.
Hence, the correct option is (3)Dead leaves → Woodlouse → Blackbird.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 8
Download Solution PDFCarnivores represent this level of food chain:
- Producers
- Secondary consumers
- Decomposers
- Primary consumers
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : Secondary consumers
Food Chain and Food Web Question 8 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFConcept:
- Food chain - is a linear sequence of flow of energy takes place between different organisms that are related to each other by the food they consume.
- Food chains outline who eats whom in an ecosystem.
- There are two main types of food chains:
- Grazing - These food chains start with the producers and are the major system of energy flow in aquatic ecosystems and grasslands.
- Detritus - The starting point is dead organic matter from other food chains and is the major energy flow system in forest ecosystems.
Important Points
- The organisms are classified into different categories according to their feeding order:
- Producers - synthesize food from solar energy. This covers all photosynthesizing plants and algae.
- Primary consumers - come immediately after producers and comprise herbivores that feed on the producers directly.
- Secondary consumers - feed on primary consumers and hence comprise of carnivores.
- Tertiary consumers - feed on secondary consumers and are also carnivores.
- Decomposers - break down dead, decaying organisms into simpler inorganic substances. E.g. - Fungi.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 9
Download Solution PDFWhich of the following combinations are most suitable for composite fish culture?
- Middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
- Surface feeders only
- Surface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
- Surface feeders and bottom feeders
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : Surface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
Food Chain and Food Web Question 9 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer isSurface feeders, middle zone feeders and bottom feeders
Explanation:
- composite fish culture is a common method for getting the most fish out of a pond or reservoir.
- Through the use of various feeding zones of the pond or water tank, the technology employs suitable and non-competing fish culture, leading to a high fish output per unit area of water.
- Surface feeders, intermediate zone feeders, and bottom feeders are ideal for composite fish production since they consume all available food and do not compete for it
- Five to six distinct kinds of fish can be cultivated together in the same fish pond in the composite fish culture.
Additional Information
- It is also called Polyculture.
- The selected fishes should be from different food habitats to avoid the food fight.
- Composite fish culture can increase the yield of the fish
- Example of compositefish culture:Catla feed on the surface of the water, Rohu are middle zone feeders, Mrigal and common carp are bottom feeders, and Grass crap feed on weeds.
- The survival rate of fish is high in composite fish culture.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 10
Download Solution PDFSeafood is an excellent source of :
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Proteins
- Spices
- Vitamins
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 3 : Proteins
Food Chain and Food Web Question 10 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe Correct Answer is Proteins.Key Points
Proteins:
- It makes up Enzymes that power many chemical reactions and Hemoglobin that carries oxygen in our blood
- It is one among the three main nutrients along with carbohydrates and fats.
- Protein Rich foods: Fish, Egg, Almonds etc.
Additional InformationCarbohydrates:
- They are Sugar molecules
- Body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose which is the main source of energy for the cells.
- Carbohydrates Rich foods: Sweet potato, Rice, Bread etc.
Fats:
- It is the nutrient in food that body uses to build cell membranes, nerve tissue and hormone.
- Body also uses fat as fuel.
- Fats Rich foods: Red Meat, Butter, Cheese etc.
Vitamins:
- They are organic substances that are generally classified as either fat soluble (Vitamin (A,D,E,K)) and water soluble ((Vitamin (B,C)).
- Vitamin Rich foods: Broccoli, Spinach etc.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 11
Download Solution PDFWhich of the following food chains is not written correctly?
- Green plants → Deer → Tiger
- Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake
- Marine algae → Small fish → Large fish → Shark
- Seeds → Squirrel → Owl
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake
Food Chain and Food Web Question 11 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Option 2 (Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake).
Concept:
- Food chain:
- A food chain depicts thefeeding relationship between various organisms in a specific environment.
- The transfer of energy from producers to top consumers, and from consumers to decomposers through a series of organisms is called a food chain.
- Each step or level of the food chain forms atrophic level.
- The autotrophs or the producers are at the first trophic level.
- The herbivores or the primary consumers come at the second, small carnivores, or the secondary consumers at the third, and larger carnivores, or the tertiary consumers form the fourth trophic level.
Explanation:
Green plants → Deer → Tiger (Correct)
- In this food chain, grass is the producer, while deer and tigersare all consumers who rely on one another for food.
Grass → Mouse → Hawk → Snake (Incorrect)
- In this food chain,Grass is the producer, so it occupies the first trophic level.
- Mouse, the primary consumers, form the second trophic level, followed by the snake, the secondary consumer, and finally, the hawk, the top consumer, which forms the fourth trophic level.
- Thus, the correct sequence isGrass → Mouse → Snake → Hawk.
Marine algae → Small fish → Large fish → Shark(Correct)
- In this food chain,marine algaeare primary producers andsmall fishes are the primary consumers.
- Large fishes are consuming primary consumers (small fishes), therefore they are secondary consumers.
- Sharks aretertiary consumers.
Seeds → Squirrel → Owl(Correct)
- Seeds are the starting point of this food chain.
- Squirrels are considered primary consumers in this food chain because they feed directly on the seeds.
- Owls are carnivorous predators that feed on small animals, including squirrels.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 12:
In an oversimplified concept of grazing food chains, snakes can be categorized as ____.
- Producer
- Herbivore
- Primary carnivore
- Secondary carnivore
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 4 : Secondary carnivore
Food Chain and Food Web Question 12 Detailed Solution
The correct answer isSecondary carnivores.
- In an oversimplified concept of grazing food chains, snakes can be categorized as Secondary carnivores.
Additional Information
- The food chain, in ecology, is thesequence of transfers of matter and energy in the form of food from organism to organism.
- A food chain is alinear network of links in a food web starting from producer organisms(such as grass or trees which use radiation from the Sun to make their food) and ending at an apex predator species (like grizzly bears or killer whales), detritivores (like earthworms or woodlice), or decomposer species (such as fungi or bacteria).
- Every level in a food chain is known as atrophic level.
- A trophic level refers to thesequential stages in a food chain, starting with producers at the bottom, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.
- Thefirst and lowest levelcontains theproducers, green plants.
- Theplants or their productsare consumed by thesecond-level organismsare called theherbivores, or plant-eaters.
- At the third level,primary carnivores, or meat-eaters, eat the herbivores.
- At the fourth level,secondary carnivores eat the primary carnivores.
- These categories are not strictly defined, as many organisms feed on several trophic levels; for example, some carnivores also consume plant materials or carrion and are calledomnivores, and some herbivores occasionally consume animal matter.
- The last trophic level, thedecomposers or transformers, consists of organisms such asbacteria and fungithat break down dead organisms and waste materials into nutrients usable by the producers.
- The sun is the initial source of energy.
- Producers:
- Producersare the first stage in a food chain.
- Producers areany plant or other organisms that produce their own nutrients through photosynthesis.
- Producers are also known asautotrophs(they make their own food).
- The producers in a food chain include all autotrophs such asgreen plants, algae, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria.
- Consumers:
- Consumers arethelargest part of a food web.
- Consumerscontainalmost all living organisms.
- Consumers are all organisms that are dependent on plants or other organisms for food.
- It includesherbivoreswhich are animals that eat plants,carnivoreswhich are animals that eat other animals,omnivoresthat eat both plants and animals.
- Decomposers:
- Decomposers arethelast stage in a food chain.
- Decomposers are organisms thatget energy from dead or waste organic material.
- Decomposers are an integral part of a food chain, as theyconvert organic waste materials into inorganic materials like nutrient-rich soil or land.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 13:
The trophic level of lion in forest ecosystem is
- T3
- T4
- T2
- T1
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 2 : T4
Food Chain and Food Web Question 13 Detailed Solution
- An ecosystem is defined asthe interaction of living organisms (biotic components) with each other and non-living (abiotic components)factors in the surrounding environment.
- It is the basic structural and functional unit of ecology.
- The term 'Ecosystem' was first coined by A.G.Tansleyin 1935.
- Biotic components of an ecosystem refer to all living components and abiotic components include sunlight, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, water, air, wind, soil, nutrients, etc.
- The ecosystem supports life systems and renders stability in the environment.
- It maintains a balance innutrient cyclingbetween biotic and abiotic components.
- Also maintains energy flow among the trophic levels.
- The types of ecosystems include- aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Important Points
- Trophic levels are multiple steps in a food chain or ecological pyramid where food (or energy) is transferred from one organism to another.
- Based on the source of their nutrition or food, specific organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain.
- There are four types of trophic levels-
- The First trophic level (T1) - containedproducers that produce their own food.
- The Second trophic level (T2) - is occupied bythe primary consumers, i.e., herbivores.
- The Third trophic level (T3) - is occupied bythe secondary consumers, i.e., the first carnivores.
- The Fourth trophic level (T4) - is occupied by the tertiary consumers, i.e., the second carnivores.
- The trophic level of lions in the forest ecosystem is T4.
- In a foodchain lion comes as tertiary consumers.
- Lions feedon secondary consumers like foxes, wild dogs,weasels, snakes,birds,etc.
Hence, the correct answer is option (2).
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 14:
In a food chain, _______ can be taken as the average value for the amount of organic matter that is present at each step and reaches the next level of consumers.
- 1%
- 0.01%
- 0.1%
- 10%
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 4 : 10%
Food Chain and Food Web Question 14 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is10%.Key Points
- The term "trophic level transfer efficiency" is the average amount of organic matter that is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
- This value is usually around 10%, meaning that only 10% of the organic matter from one level is transferred to the next level.
- Because energy is lost as metabolic heat when animals from one trophic level are consumed by species from the next, energy declines as it goes up the trophic levels.
Additional Information
- The food chain is a straight line made up of creatures in which energy and nutrients are passed from one to the next.
- When one creature eats another, this happens.
- The decomposer organism comes at the end of the chain, having started with the producer organism.
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Food Chain and Food Web Question 15:
Which of the following represents a detritus food chain?
- Oak tree→ Insects → Warbler
- Grass → Rat → Snake → Eagle
- Phytoplanktons → Zooplanktons → Small fish → Large fish
- Dead leaves → Woodlouse→ Black bird
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 4 : Dead leaves → Woodlouse→ Black bird
Food Chain and Food Web Question 15 Detailed Solution
Concept:
- The transfer of food energy from producers (plants) through a series of organisms that consume and are consumed is termed the food chain.
- A food chain shows the linear movement of energy through a system by indicating the path of food from a producer to a final consumer.
- Food chains may have 3 to 5 trophic links with 15 to 20 species.
- The length of a particular food chain reflects the physical characteristics of a particular ecosystem.
- Within any ecosystem, there are 2 major food chains, such as theGrazing food chainand theDetritus food chain.
- The difference between these two food chains is the source of energy for the primary consumers.
- The grazing food chain starts with photosynthetic plants, while the detritus food chain starts with dead organic matter.
- Most of the natural ecosystems possess both grazing and detritus food chains.
- In terrestrial and shallow-water ecosystems grazing food chains dominate because a major proportion of the annual energy flow passes through this chain.
- In tidal marshes, almost 90% of the primary production is routed through the detritus food chains.
Explanation:
- Detritus food chains begin with dead organic matter and go from non-living organic matter to detrivores and their predators.
- Dead leaves → Woodlouse → Blackbirdrepresents the detritus food chain.
- A large amount of organic matter is generated by the death of plants and their parts, animals, and their excretory products in all ecosystems.
- In these food chains, the flow of energy is not unidirectional.
- The waste materials and dead organic matter in each of the trophic levels are recycled and returned as input to the dead organic matter at the base of the detritus food chains.
Additional Information
- Oaktree → Insects → Warbler andGrass → Rat → Snake → Eaglefood chain represents the grazing food chain.
- Phytoplanktons → Zooplanktons → Small fish → Large fish food chain represents the aquatic grazing food chain.
Hence, the correct option is (3)Dead leaves → Woodlouse → Blackbird.
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