Describe various Trophic levels of a Food Chain.
Describe various Trophic levels of a Food Chain.

Answer: The feeding behaviour of a chain’s organisms is used to classify them into various tiers. The producers, or green plants, are found on the first and lowest level. The second-level organisms, herbivores, or plant eaters, consume the plants or their products. Primary carnivores, or meat eaters, devour herbivores at the third level, while secondary carnivores eat primary carnivores at the fourth level.

Many organisms graze on many trophic levels, therefore these classifications are not strictly defined; for example, some carnivores also ingest plant materials or carrion and are classified as omnivores, and some herbivores occasionally consume animal stuff. The decomposers or transformers, a different trophic level, are creatures like bacteria and fungus that break down dead species and waste materials into nutrients that the producers may use.

Trophic levels in a food chain are defined as the number of phases that are followed by one another in the energy flow process and are also food reliant on one another. The following are the several trophic levels:

  1. Producers (Trophic Level-1): They are the lowest trophic level and can produce their own food (green plants).
  2. Primary consumers (Trophic Level -2): They are the second trophic level, and they eat mostly plants (herbivores).

iii. Secondary consumers (Trophic level-3)- They are flesh eaters and belong to the third trophic level. (carnivores).

  1. Tertiary consumers (Trophic Level 4)- They are the fourth trophic level, feeding on secondary consumers.