Final answer:
The complex and non-linear process of energy flow between species in an ecosystem is known as a food web. Food webs are holistic and provide a more accurate representation of the interactions between species.
Step-by-step explanation:
The complex and non-linear process of energy flow between species in an ecosystem is known as a food web.
Food chains represent a single pathway of energy flow, while food webs depict the interconnected pathways of energy transfer between organisms within an ecosystem. Food webs are holistic and provide a more accurate representation of the interactions between species.
Energy enters ecosystems from the sun or from inorganic chemicals and flows from producers to consumers. Producers, such as plants, convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, which is then consumed by herbivores and further transferred to carnivores.