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Why are there fewer higher level consumers in an ecosystem than first level consumers?
Wiki User
∙ 7y ago
As you may already know, each trophic level survives off of the trophic level below it.
Energy is lost between trophic levels- to be specific, about 90% is lost in heat, excretory products etc. To make things easier, let me use an example.
The first trophic level, producers, consists of organisms like plants. They receive 100% of their energy from the Sun. Herbivores, consume plants, but only 10% of the energy is passed on, making it less efficient. As the trophic levels increase, lesser and lesser energy is available to the higher trophic levels.
Resultantly, there simply isn't enough energy at the higher trophic levels, and hence, a smaller number of organisms are supported.
I hope this helps you! (:
peanutbutterjelly
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoEach consumer gets 10% of the prey's energy. Let's say that there's a lot of grass. The grasshoppers eat the grass and each grasshopper get's 10% of the grasses' energy. Since 10% is a lot less than half, there aren't as much grasshoppers as there is grass. Of course another reason would be that a lot of other consumers rely on that grass which means that there is a limit for the grasshoppers. All animals depend on each other and of course the grass. Hope that helps.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agothe top carnivores get little energy because most of the energy is used to keep the animal its (food / prey) warm, or comes out as waste product , to respire and therefor all the energy cant be transferred because the animal uses most of it.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agobecause when an animal is high on the food chain then he becomes a part of food chain amd becoming a part of food chain means first eat and then get eaten
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoBecause if they are the biggest population in an ecosystem, they would starve.
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What does it mean first consumer an third consumer?
In any ecological system on the earth,first consumers are herbivores e.g.grasshopers,rabit,deer etc. in forest ecosystem,tadpole larva of frog in aquatic ecosystem. Third consumers are always carnivores.e.g.snake is third consumer as it eats frog & frog is secondry consumer as it eats grasshoper,which is a first consumer(herbivore).
Which comes first ecosystem or habitat?
The ecosystem does because the habitat is in the ecosystem.
If you feed on secondary consumers what are you?
Feeding on Secondary Consumers in an ecosystem will cause for you to be classified as a Tertiary Consumer (also known as a 3rd order consumer), and will be, by necessity, a carnivore. Another way to think of this is in trophic levels, where the producers will be of the First Trophic Level, standard herbivores of the second, the first-order carnivores for herbivores the third, and the organism defined by this question the fourth.
What are the levels of organization in ecosystem?
if you mean the feeding levels they are Producers: photosynthetic organisms, such as plant first order consumers: herbivores and animals that eat directly from the producers Second level consumers: these eat the first order consumers but can also eat the producers. this goes on to ussually no more than 5 levels as the energy transphere drops at each level and any more than a fith order consumer would not be able to consume enough tissue to survive.
What animal would be at the 2nd trophic level?
The group of organisms that occupy the second trophic level of an ecosystem is the herbivores. The herbivores eat the plants in the first trophic level and are then called primary consumers. -Gallo :)
Do you need first level consumers in a ecosystem?
yes!
What group of organisms occupies the first trophies level of an ecosystem?
The secondary consumers (herbivores) occupie s the first trophies level of an ecosystem
What does it mean first consumer an third consumer?
In any ecological system on the earth,first consumers are herbivores e.g.grasshopers,rabit,deer etc. in forest ecosystem,tadpole larva of frog in aquatic ecosystem. Third consumers are always carnivores.e.g.snake is third consumer as it eats frog & frog is secondry consumer as it eats grasshoper,which is a first consumer(herbivore).
What group of organisms the second trophic level of an ecosystem?
The group of organisms that occupy the second trophic level of an ecosystem is the herbivores. The herbivores eat the plants in the first trophic level and are then called primary consumers. -Gallo :)
Which organisims are the producers in this ecosystem?
Well, it depends on which ecosystem. In most ecosystems the plants are the producers and the rodents and insects are the first level consumers. Plants like grass and weeds are consumed by field mice and other rodents.
What would happen if all the first level consumers were removed from the ecosystems?
The second level consumers would have nothing to feed off, and therefore would commence eating themselves. Eventually the ecosystem would die out.
What trophic level contains the greatest biomass in most ecosystems?
More individuals, less energy, more producers, or fewer carnivores?ANSWER: more individuals because there are more types of omnivores and carnivores(who feed off of primary consumers) than there are herbivores (who feed off of primary producers)
What are third order consumers called?
Third level consumers are consumers that feed on second level consumers. A hawk eating a rattlesnake would be an example of a third level consumer. In a forest ecosystem, snakes are third level consumers. Herons and large fish are also third level consumers.
Which comes first ecosystem or habitat?
The ecosystem does because the habitat is in the ecosystem.
First level consumers are called?
first level consumers are called primary consumers or herbivores
What are organisms that use energy in an ecosystem?
Producers Consumer Decomposer
Can the ecosystem survive without consumers?
Without these three things, it wouldn't really be an ecosystem in the first place. Without producers, no food would be made, without consumers, there would be nothing to eat what is produced, and without decomposers, nothing would be broken down. Each part is connected to each other, and all of them are crucial to the survival of an ecosystem.
