Why an understanding of the operation of an ecosystem’s food web would be essential for the

sustainable management of that ecosystem

By understanding the operation of an ecosystem's food web we can adequately learn about
the way in which different organisms interact with each other and their surroundings and
use this information to better manage the said ecosystem. The food web operates as a
complex network of interacting food chains, encompassing organisms in a natural
ecosystem consuming each other and thus transferring energy. Herbivores consume plants,
or producers, which absorb solar energy from the sun and convert carbon dioxide and
water into glucose and oxygen during photosynthesis; these herbivores are consumed by
carnivores, who are consumed by larger carnivores. As the food web progresses, nutrients
are passed through the ecosystem, and the various nutrient cycles, such as the carbon and
phosphorus cycle, continue. Sustainable ecosystem management can only be achieved
when the feeding habits and behavioral aspects of each individual organism has been
understood, as management of ecosystems must not interfere with naturally occurring
phenomena in order to be sustainable.