Food Webs

The Serengeti savanna supports one of the most complex terrestrial food webs on Earth, driven by the annual migration of over 1.5 million wildebeest. Grasses …

Yellowstone's food web was famously transformed by the reintroduction of gray wolves in 1995, demonstrating a powerful trophic cascade. Wolves reduced elk overgrazing, allowing riparian …

The Amazon basin harbors the most biodiverse terrestrial food web on Earth, with an estimated 10% of all species. The canopy, understory, and forest floor …

The Arctic tundra food web operates under extreme seasonal light and temperature variation, with a short growing season driving intense productivity. Lichens, mosses, and dwarf …

The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, spanning over 2,300 km and supporting thousands of species. Symbiotic zooxanthellae algae within coral …

The Antarctic Ocean food web is built on the enormous productivity of Antarctic krill, which forms the critical link between phytoplankton and virtually all higher …

The Florida Everglades is a vast subtropical wetland where freshwater flows slowly southward through sawgrass marshes to mangrove estuaries. Periphyton mats form the primary production …

The Galapagos marine food web is fueled by nutrient-rich upwelling from the Cromwell Current, creating exceptional productivity in equatorial waters. This isolated archipelago supports endemic …

Borneo's tropical rainforest is one of the oldest on Earth at approximately 140 million years old, supporting extraordinary endemism. Dipterocarp trees dominate the canopy, and …

The miombo woodland of southern and eastern Africa covers over 2.7 million square kilometers, making it the largest tropical dry woodland in the world. Brachystegia …

Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in North America, where freshwater from six major rivers mixes with Atlantic saltwater. Submerged aquatic vegetation and phytoplankton form …

The Sundarbans is the world's largest mangrove forest, spanning the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta across Bangladesh and India. Mangrove roots create a complex three-dimensional habitat that serves …

The North Sea is a shallow continental shelf sea supporting one of the most heavily fished marine food webs globally. Seasonal phytoplankton blooms driven by …

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world's longest known cave system, supporting a food web almost entirely dependent on organic matter imported from the surface. …

The Coral Triangle spans six countries in Southeast Asia and the western Pacific, containing 76% of all known coral species and over 2,000 reef fish …

The Congo Basin contains the second-largest tropical rainforest on Earth, spanning six countries. Unlike the Amazon, the Congo forest has a relatively intact megafauna including …

Lake Baikal is the world's deepest and oldest lake, containing 20% of Earth's unfrozen surface freshwater. Over 80% of its species are endemic, including the …

Pacific kelp forests form towering underwater ecosystems where giant kelp can grow up to 60 cm per day. Sea otters maintain forest health by preying …

The Australian outback encompasses vast arid and semi-arid ecosystems dominated by spinifex grasses and mulga woodland. Marsupial herbivores and seed-eating birds form the primary consumer …

The Sargasso Sea is a unique open-ocean ecosystem defined by currents rather than coastlines, characterized by floating Sargassum seaweed mats. These mats create a floating …

The Pantanal in South America is the world's largest tropical wetland, flooding seasonally over an area exceeding 150,000 square kilometers. This flood pulse drives an …

Hydrothermal vent communities thrive in total darkness at ocean ridges where superheated, mineral-rich water erupts from the seafloor. Chemosynthetic bacteria replace photosynthesis as the energy …

Mediterranean maquis and garrigue shrublands are shaped by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, with fire as a key ecological driver. Aromatic shrubs like …

The Laurentian Great Lakes contain 21% of the world's surface freshwater and support a food web dramatically altered by invasive species. Sea lampreys, alewives, and …

The Okavango Delta is an inland alluvial fan in the Kalahari Desert where the Okavango River spreads into a vast seasonal floodplain. Annual flooding from …

The boreal forest or taiga is Earth's largest terrestrial biome, forming a circumpolar band of coniferous forest. Spruce budworm outbreaks and fire shape forest structure …

Rocky intertidal zones along temperate coastlines support vertically zonated food webs compressed into narrow tidal bands. Sessile organisms like barnacles and mussels compete fiercely for …

Shrimp aquaculture ponds in Bangladesh and India create simplified food webs adjacent to the Sundarbans mangroves. Supplemental feeds and fertilizers replace natural productivity, while escaped …

Hawaii's coral reefs are among the most isolated reef systems on Earth, with 25% endemism in reef fishes. Geographic isolation has created unique trophic relationships, …

The Appalachian temperate deciduous forests harbor exceptional salamander diversity and support a food web structured by mast-producing trees like oaks and hickories. Periodic mast years …

The Ob, Yenisei, and Lena river systems drain vast Siberian watersheds through boreal forest into the Arctic Ocean. These rivers support anadromous fish like sturgeon …

London's urban food web demonstrates how wildlife adapts to human-dominated landscapes. Red foxes, peregrine falcons, and hedgehogs exploit urban resources, while park ecosystems support surprisingly …

Red Sea coral reefs are among the most thermally tolerant in the world, with corals adapted to temperatures that would bleach reefs elsewhere. High salinity …

The Humboldt Current along South America's west coast creates one of the world's most productive marine ecosystems through intense coastal upwelling. Anchoveta form enormous schools …

The Amazon River system contains more freshwater fish species than any other basin, with over 3,000 described species. Seasonal flooding of the varzea forest creates …

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the second-largest reef system in the world, stretching from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to Honduras. It supports whale sharks, manatees, and …

Satoyama landscapes are traditional Japanese mosaics of rice paddies, woodlands, and grasslands that have been sustainably managed for centuries. This agricultural food web supports remarkable …

The East African Great Lakes including Tanganyika, Malawi, and Victoria harbor extraordinary cichlid fish radiations with hundreds of endemic species in each lake. Lake Tanganyika …

The Mariana Trench descends to nearly 11,000 meters, yet life persists at every depth. This food web is fueled by a rain of organic particles …

The Danube Delta is Europe's largest and best-preserved river delta, where the Danube empties into the Black Sea across 5,800 square kilometers of channels, lakes, …

Cloud forests exist in tropical mountain zones where persistent fog provides moisture beyond rainfall. These forests harbor extraordinary epiphyte diversity and unique fauna like the …

Atlantic salt marshes along the US East Coast are among the most productive ecosystems per unit area on Earth. Cordgrass marshes export organic detritus to …

Madagascar's western dry deciduous forests support extraordinary endemism including over 90% endemic plant species. Lemurs fill ecological niches occupied by monkeys, woodpeckers, and squirrels on …

The Gulf of California, called the Sea of Cortez, was described by Jacques Cousteau as the world's aquarium. Nutrient upwelling supports extraordinary marine productivity from …

Rice paddies in northern Italy's Po Valley create seasonal wetland habitats in an otherwise agricultural landscape. These artificial wetlands support amphibians, wading birds, and aquatic …

Caribbean mangrove forests form a critical interface between land and sea, with prop roots creating nursery habitat for commercially important fish and invertebrates. Red, black, …

Caribbean mesophotic coral reefs between 30 and 150 meters depth are a poorly explored twilight zone that may serve as refugia for shallow reef species …

Amazon varzea floodplain lakes are seasonally connected to the main river channel, creating dynamic food webs that shift between isolation and connectivity. During high water, …

Galveston Bay is a highly productive Texas estuary supporting major shrimp and oyster fisheries. Freshwater inflow from the Trinity and San Jacinto rivers creates salinity …

New Zealand's ancient podocarp forests evolved in the absence of land mammals, creating a unique food web dominated by birds and invertebrates. Flightless kiwi, giant …

Beyond the Sundarbans, Bangladesh's extensive mangrove-estuary systems support the Hilsa shad fishery, one of the most important single-species fisheries in South Asia. Mangrove-derived detritus fuels …

Norwegian fjords are deep, sheltered marine environments where freshwater runoff creates a stratified water column. Cold, nutrient-rich Atlantic water enters at depth while a freshwater …

The Chihuahuan Desert is North America's largest desert, spanning the US-Mexico border region. Creosote bush flats, desert grasslands, and playas support a food web adapted …

The Canary Current upwelling system off northwest Africa is one of the four major eastern boundary upwelling ecosystems, supporting some of the world's richest fisheries. …

Postojna Cave in Slovenia is home to the olm, a fully aquatic cave salamander that can survive without food for over a decade. This karst …

The South China Sea contains thousands of coral reefs on atolls, shoals, and island fringes supporting extraordinary Indo-Pacific marine biodiversity. Reef fish assemblages include over …

The Tibetan Plateau, the world's highest and largest plateau, supports alpine steppe and meadow food webs above 4,000 meters. Pikas are keystone herbivores whose burrows …

The Baltic Sea is one of the world's largest brackish water bodies, with salinity declining from west to east. This gradient creates a unique food …

The coral reefs off the coasts of Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique support diverse Indo-Pacific marine communities and artisanal fisheries feeding coastal populations. Coelacanths, thought extinct …

The Mekong River is Southeast Asia's longest river, sustaining the world's largest inland fishery that feeds over 60 million people. Seasonal flood pulses inundate the …

The Prairie Pothole Region across the northern US and southern Canada contains millions of glacially formed wetlands that produce 50-80% of North America's ducks. These …

The Indian Ocean pelagic food web is structured by monsoonal upwelling that reverses direction seasonally, creating predictable productivity patterns. Tuna, billfish, and whale sharks follow …

Waitomo Caves in New Zealand host a unique food web centered on the bioluminescent glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa. These cave-dwelling fungus gnat larvae produce light to …

The Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest is characterized by towering Douglas fir, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce in one of the most productive terrestrial ecosystems …

Tokyo's urban food web demonstrates how megacity ecosystems support adapted wildlife despite extreme human density. Jungle crows, raccoon dogs, and koi carp exploit urban resources, …

The Western Ghats of India are a global biodiversity hotspot with high endemism among amphibians, reptiles, and plants. Monsoon rains drive a seasonal pulse of …

The Mississippi River Delta is a vast coastal wetland system where the largest North American river meets the Gulf of Mexico. This productive estuary supports …

Eastern Australian eucalyptus forests support iconic marsupials including koalas, wombats, and possums in a food web shaped by fire and drought. Eucalyptus leaves are toxic …

The Maldives consist of 1,192 coral islands on 26 atolls, making it the world's most coral-dependent nation. Reef food webs support the Maldivian economy through …

The Cerrado is a vast tropical savanna covering 21% of Brazil, with biodiversity rivaling the Amazon for plant species. Deep-rooted trees and grasses access deep …

Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, experienced one of the most dramatic food web collapses in recorded history when introduced Nile perch drove over 200 cichlid …

Saharan oases are isolated freshwater systems sustained by fossil groundwater in the world's largest hot desert. Date palms provide canopy shade and food, while endemic …

The Florida Keys mangrove-seagrass-reef continuum connects three distinct habitats into an integrated food web. Mangrove islands provide nursery habitat for tarpon, snook, and bonefish that …

The Namib is among the world's oldest deserts, receiving moisture primarily from coastal fog rather than rain. Fog-basking beetles, sand-diving lizards, and the endemic Welwitschia …

The East China Sea continental shelf receives massive nutrient inputs from the Yangtze River, creating a productive but heavily exploited marine food web. Large yellow …

Seamounts are underwater mountains rising from the deep ocean floor, creating current upwelling that concentrates nutrients and supports dense biological communities. These hotspots attract pelagic …

The Rio de la Plata is the widest river estuary in the world, where the Parana and Uruguay rivers discharge into the South Atlantic. This …

The US Corn Belt is the world's most productive agricultural landscape, where corn-soybean rotations have replaced native tallgrass prairie. This simplified food web is dominated …

The Bering Sea continental shelf supports one of the world's most productive marine food webs, including the largest walleye pollock fishery on Earth. Sea ice …

The paramo is a neotropical alpine ecosystem found above the treeline and below the snowline in the northern Andes, from 3,000 to 5,000 meters. Giant …

New York City supports a surprisingly diverse urban food web including peregrine falcons nesting on skyscrapers, coyotes in the Bronx, and harbor seals in the …

The Mekong Delta mangroves in southern Vietnam form a critical buffer between freshwater river channels and the South China Sea. These mangroves support intensive shrimp …

Lake Titicaca at 3,812 meters is the world's highest navigable lake and the largest lake in South America by volume. Despite its altitude, the lake …

The Antarctic Peninsula is warming faster than almost any other region on Earth, with dramatic impacts on sea ice-dependent food webs. Adelie penguin populations are …

Lake Tanganyika is the world's second-deepest lake with over 250 endemic cichlid species and an age of approximately 10 million years. Rock-dwelling cichlid communities exhibit …

Sumatra's tropical rainforests support three critically endangered large mammals: the Sumatran tiger, orangutan, and rhinoceros. These forests are among the most rapidly deforested on Earth …

The Canadian prairies once supported vast bison herds that shaped the grassland through grazing, wallowing, and nutrient deposition. Although wild bison are largely gone, the …

The Gulf Stream is a powerful western boundary current transporting warm tropical water along the US East Coast and across the North Atlantic. This current …

The Ethiopian Highlands are the largest continuous area of high-altitude terrain in Africa, supporting the endemic Ethiopian wolf, gelada baboon, and giant lobelia. These Afro-alpine …

Antarctic krill biomass is estimated at 300-500 million tonnes, making them possibly the most abundant wild animal species by mass. This food web revolves around …

The Ganges River system drains the most densely populated watershed on Earth, supporting the endangered Ganges river dolphin and gharial crocodilian. Heavy pollution, dam construction, …

The Sonoran Desert is unique among North American deserts for its columnar cacti, including the iconic saguaro that can live over 200 years. Summer monsoon …

Coral atoll lagoons in the central Pacific are sheltered marine environments surrounded by reef crests that break oceanic waves. These lagoons support distinct food webs …

The Carpathian Mountains harbor Europe's largest remaining old-growth forests and the continent's healthiest populations of brown bears, wolves, and lynx. Beech-fir-spruce forests transition through altitudinal …

Lake Malawi contains over 800 cichlid species, the most species-rich lake for a single fish family on Earth. Rocky shore mbuna cichlids have radiated into …

Pleistocene Park in Siberia is an experimental rewilding project attempting to restore the mammoth steppe food web that dominated northern Eurasia until 10,000 years ago. …

The Cape Floristic Region is the world's smallest plant kingdom, with over 9,000 plant species on a landmass smaller than Portugal. Fynbos shrublands are fire-dependent, …

The Wadden Sea is the world's largest unbroken tidal flat system, stretching along the North Sea coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. Twice daily, …

Tropical dry forests are among the most endangered ecosystems on Earth, with less than 2% of their original extent remaining in Central America. Santa Rosa …

The Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia is one of the largest intact freshwater wetland ecosystems in North America, covering over 1,770 square kilometers. Acidic blackwater flows …