Primary consumers

Definition

Primary consumers are organisms that feed directly on producers, such as plants and algae. They occupy the second trophic level in an ecosystem's energy flow.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Primary consumers are typically herbivores.
2. They play a crucial role in transferring energy from producers to higher trophic levels.
3. Examples of primary consumers include deer, rabbits, and zooplankton.
4. The efficiency of energy transfer from producers to primary consumers is usually around 10%.
5. Primary consumers help in the cycling of nutrients within ecosystems.

Review Questions

• What role do primary consumers play in an ecosystem's food chain?
• Can you name three examples of primary consumers?
• Why is the energy transfer between producers and primary consumers typically low?

Related terms

Producers: Organisms that synthesize their own food through processes like photosynthesis, forming the base of an ecosystem's energy pyramid.

Secondary Consumers: Organisms that primarily feed on primary consumers, occupying the third trophic level.

Trophic Level: The position an organism occupies in a food chain, which reflects its feeding relationship with other organisms.