The scientific term for the food chain is "trophic chain." It refers to the series of hierarchical relationships in which organisms are linked based on their feeding habits. The trophic chain illustrates how energy and nutrients flow through ecosystems, starting from primary producers like plants and phytoplankton, which convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis. This energy is then transferred to primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), and so forth up to top predators. Understanding trophic chains helps ecologists study ecosystem dynamics, including population control, energy transfer, and the impact of changes within food web interactions in various environments.