Trophic Levels

• Trophic levels can be represented by numbers starting at level 1 with plants and algae. Further trophic levels are subsequently numbered according to hoe far the organism is along the food chain
• Trophic levels:

  1. plants and algae make their own food and are called producers
  2. herbivores eat plants/algae and are called primary consumers
  3. carnivores that eat herbivores are checked secondary consumers
  4. carnivores that eat other carnivores are called tertiary consumers. Apex predators are carnivores with no predators
• Decomposers break down bad plant and animal matter by secreting enzymes into the environmeny
• Small soluble food molecules diffuse into the microorganism after they secrete enzymes into the environment t