Trophic Levels
Definition
These are hierarchical levels in an ecosystem comprising organisms that share the same function in the food chain and the same nutritional relationship to the primary sources of energy.
Analogy
Think of trophic levels like floors in a shopping mall. The first floor (primary producers) has all the basic goods, which are bought by stores on the second floor (herbivores). Stores on the third floor (carnivores) then buy from those on the second. Each level depends on the one below it for resources.
Related terms
Primary Producers: Organisms in an ecosystem that produce biomass from inorganic compounds.
Herbivores: Animals that eat plants or other primary producers.
Carnivores: Animals that eat other animals.
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