The lowest trophic level in an ecosystem is occupied by producers or autotrophs also known as plants.
Further Explanation;
Trophic levels
- Trophic levels are the positions that organisms occupy in a food chain within an ecosystem. It represents the feeding positions of organisms in a given ecosystem.
- The first trophic level is occupied by autotrophs or producers.
- Autotrophs are those organisms that can make their own food using energy from the sun through the process of photosynthesis.
- Examples of autotrophs are plants and green algae. Organisms in the first trophic levels are known as primary producers.
- The second trophic level is composed of organisms known as primary consumers which feed on the producers to obtain energy they need to live.
- These organisms are known as herbivores and cannot make their own food but obtain the already made food by the producers. Examples are; antelopes, cows, rabbits, etc.
- The third trophic level consists organisms known as secondary consumers which obtain nutrients by feeding on the primary consumers. These organisms are known as carnivores and include, lions, foxes, etc.
- Fourth trophic level is made up of tertiary consumers which obtain food by feeding on the secondary consumers.
- Animals in this level receive less energy compared to other levels since some energy is lost at each level due to processes such as excretion in the form of heat.
- Fifth trophic level is made up of animals known as apex predators which are at the top of the food chain since they don’t have natural predators.
Keywords: Trophic levels, autotrophs, consumers
Learn more about:
- Trophic levels in an ecosystem: https://brainly.com/question/8354950
- Autotrophs: https://brainly.com/question/10253663
- Heterotrophs: https://brainly.com/question/8461901
- Food chain: https://brainly.com/question/2497487
- Energy transmission in a food chain; https://brainly.com/question/12589476
Level: High school
Subject: Biology
Topic: Ecology
Sub-topic: Food chain
