Categorie: Tutti - carnivores - ecosystem - herbivores - consumers

da Paul Brown mancano 5 anni

488

Foood Chain

In a balanced ecosystem, organisms are classified into different trophic levels based on their role in the food chain. Primary producers, which include plants, flowers, and some insects, form the foundation of this system, supplying essential nutrients to other life forms.

Foood Chain

Plants, flowers, nuts, seeds, fruit, and insects

Nuts

Insects

Fruit

Seeds

Plants

Flowers

These are known as the primary producers for this ecosystem which is the bottom tropic level. In most ecosystems the Primary producers are consumed by the primary consumers, which is the next tropic level. Primary producers consist mainly of "herbivore friendly" food with the exception of insects and other small organisms. In Sustainable ecosystems the primary producers have the highest population.

North American Forest Ecosystem

Mule deer

Douglas's squirrel

Edith's checkerspot

Pika

These animals are known as the primary consumers in an ecosystem, which is the second trophic level. These animals are most often herbivores due to the fact that they consumer the primary producers which are often plants. These animals are generally smaller, but there can be larger animals in this category as well (i.e. the deer). In a sustainable ecosystem these species often have the second highest population.

Pacific tree frog

Red-breasted nuthatch

Pine martin

Black tipped jackrabbit

Raven

Western whiptail

Ringtail

These animals are known as the secondary consumers in an ecosystem, which is the third trophic level. These creatures are either carnivores or omnivores and mainly feed off of animals in the primary consumer trophic level. This consumption of the primary consumers maintains a balance in their population because they won't be able to over populate. These animals provide food energy for the tertiary consumer. They often have the third highest population in an ecosystem that is sustainable

Mountain Lion

Bobcat

These animals are known as the tertiary consumers (or apex predators) , which is the fourth tropic level in an ecosystem. These animals are mostly carnivores and they feed off of the secondary consumers and the Primary consumers for food energy. These animals have few if any natural predators and they are at the top of the food chain. They generally have the smallest population and function as population controls for the other tropic levels.

Coyote