6.1.1: Trophic Interactions
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Trophic interactions occur when one organism feeds on another. The three main types of trophic interactions are predation (figure \(\PageIndex{a}\)), herbivory, or parasitism. During these interactions, one species benefits by gaining food at the expense of the other, which either dies or loses nutrients, tissues, or organs (such as leaves). Trophic interactions involve the flow of energy, and the trophic interactions in a community can be represented by food chains and food webs.
