Final answer:
Yes, changes in the food web of an ecosystem can affect humans as well as the organisms within the food web. These changes can disrupt the flow of energy and nutrients within the food web and can have economic and social impacts on humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, changes in the food web of an ecosystem can affect humans as well as the organisms within the food web. The food web represents the interconnected relationships between different organisms and their sources of food. When there are changes in the populations of certain organisms within the food web, it can have cascading effects on other organisms and the overall balance of the ecosystem.
For example, if a particular predator within the food web declines in population due to factors such as overhunting or habitat loss, the prey species of that predator may increase in number. This can then lead to an overconsumption of their own food sources, causing a decline in those populations. These changes can disrupt the flow of energy and nutrients within the food web.
Additionally, changes in the food web can also affect humans. For instance, if a key species that provides a valuable resource or service to humans declines in population, it can have economic and social impacts. For example, the decline of certain fish species in a marine ecosystem can affect the livelihoods of fishermen who depend on those fish for their income.