Urban London Food Web
Urban
London, United Kingdom
Description
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 diverse bird and invertebrate communities. Human food waste and garden plantings subsidize this food web beyond natural carrying capacity.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Urban fungi
Garden invertebrates
Soil bacteria
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
Peregrine falcon
Tawny owl
2 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
Red fox
Sparrowhawk
Hedgehog
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Wood pigeon
Grey squirrel
Earthworms
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Garden plants
Park trees
Urban lawn grasses
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Red foxes exploit human food waste, reaching densities 5-10 times rural levels
- Peregrine falcons nest on skyscrapers and hunt pigeons at high speed
- Grey squirrels have displaced native red squirrels through competition
- Garden bird feeders subsidize overwinter survival of passerine populations