Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels in Food Chains

TROPHIC LEVELS represent the POSITION of an organism in a FOOD CHAIN or FOOD WEB within an ecosystem.

Trophic Levels are represented with NUMBERS starting from LEVEL 1, and INCREASE in level as you go along the food chain.

Trophic Level 1: Producers

 1. PRODUCERS are organisms that form the STARTING POINT of a food chain. Examples include PLANTS and ALGAE.

2. They are called producers because they MAKE THEIR OWN FOOD through PHOTOSYNTHESIS, using energy from the sun.

Trophic Level 2: Primary Consumers

 1. PRIMARY CONSUMERS are HERBIVORES that EAT the PLANTS and ALGAE produced by the first trophic level.

2. These organisms only consume plant materials, obtaining energy by eating producers.

Trophic Level 3: Secondary Consumers

SECONDARY CONSUMERS are CARNIVORES that EAT HERBIVORES.

Trophic Level 4: Tertiary Consumers

TERTIARY CONSUMERS are CARNIVORES that eat other CARNIVORES, feeding on secondary consumers.

APEX PREDATORS:

These are CARNIVORES at the TOP of the FOOD CHAIN and have NO PREDATORS in their ecosystem.

Decomposers:

 1. DECOMPOSERS are MICROORGANISMS such as BACTERIA and FUNGI, and play a crucial role by breaking down dead plant or animal material left in the environment.

 2. They decompose matter by SECRETING ENZYMES that break down dead tissue into SMALLER SOLUBLE food molecules, which are then diffused into the decomposer and used for their growth and reproduction.