| Trophic LevelsPond PowerPre-Field expedition Lesson | |
| Below are examples of the trophic levels in one particular food chain: | |
 | Grass produces its own food v photosynthesis. That is aprimary producer at the bottom of the food chain. Major producers room the 1st trophic level. |
 | Grasshoppers are herbivores that eat grass. Therefore, they room one trophic level greater than grass. They are considered primary consumers. Major consumers are the second trophic level. |
 | Toads eat grasshoppers. Therefore, they are one trophic level higher than grasshoppers. Castle are thought about secondary consumers. An additional consumers space the third trophic level. |
 | Hawks room carnivores that eat toads. Thus they are one trophic level greater than toads. Castle are taken into consideration tertiary consumers. Tertiary consumers are the 4th trophic level. Tertiary consumers tend to be in ~ the top of the food chain. They have actually few, if any, predators. |
 | Bacteria, fungi and also other organisms feed off of dead matter. This organisms are well-known as decomposers. You are watching: Is a hawk a producer consumer or decomposer They transform the dead matter earlier into nutrients. Decomposers space at both the beginning and end the the food chain. Therefore, decomposers space not assigned a trophic level. |
| Photograph credits: Miller, B. (Photographer). Closeup the dark green blades of grass. Siers, W. (Photographer). Grasshopper family. FreeDigitalPhotos.net. (Photographer). Common Toad. Noffsinger, L. (Photographer). Red Tailed Hawk. jscreationzs. (Photographer). |