- Provide explanations for trophic levels, food webs, and ecological pyramids.
- Expand upon the meanings of autotrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic organisms.
- Distinguish between food chains and food webs.
- Clarify the mechanisms by which energy transfers among various trophic levels and its consequences for the structure of ecosystems.
- Forecast the roles of pests and parasites within trophic systems.