Food chains and food webs show how producers, consumers, and decomposers are connected to one another as chemical energy flows through different ____ in an ecosystem.
A) secondary producers
B) trophic levels
C) biospheres
D) hydrologic cycles
E) abiotic components

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Trophic levels are the levels in a food chain or food web that represent different organisms' positions based on their feeding relationships. They start with the producers, which are mainly plants that make their food through photosynthesis. Energy then flows to herbivores, which are primary consumers, then to carnivores, which are secondary and tertiary consumers. Decomposers are also part of the food chain and play a critical role in breaking down dead organic matter and recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. The food chain or food web provides a clear illustration of how energy flows from one trophic level to the next in an ecosystem.

Food Chains and Food Webs Show How Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers