Trophic Levels

• Trophic levels


  The different levels within a food chain
• First trophic level


  Producers (plants or algae) that can use photosynthesis to produce their own food using energy from sunlight
• Second trophic level


  Primary consumers (herbivores) that consume producers
• Third trophic level


  Secondary consumers (carnivores) that consume primary consumers
• Fourth trophic level


  Tertiary consumers (carnivores) that consume secondary consumers
• Food chains in different ecosystems can have different numbers of trophic levels, usually no more than 4 or 5
• Energy gets lost as it moves up trophic levels, with only about 10% of energy passed on to the next level
• Apex predators


  Carnivores at the very top of the food chain who don't have any predators
• Omnivores


  Organisms that eat both producers and other animals, usually placed in trophic level 3
• Decomposers and detritivores


  Organisms like bacteria, fungi, and small animals that help decompose dead plant and animal matter, recycling nutrients back into the ground for producers
• Trophic level


  A step in a food chain of an ecosystem
• Trophic levels


  • Primary producers
  • Herbivores (primary consumers)
  • Carnivores (secondary consumers)
  • Carnivores (tertiary consumers)
  • Apex predators
  • Decomposers
• Primary producers


  Organisms which produce their own food, usually the green plants or algae. Also referred to as autotrophs.
• Primary consumers


  Herbivores, organisms that eat the plants. They are the first step where nutrients are consumed.
• Secondary consumers


  Carnivores who eat herbivores
• Tertiary consumers


  Carnivores who eat other carnivores
• Apex predators


  Top of the food chain where the organisms isn't eaten by other animals
• Decomposers


  Break down dead animal and plant matter, also known as detritivores