Question

Regarding the components within an ecosystem, consider the following statements:

1. Producers, consumers, and decomposers represent various trophic levels.
2. These components are linked by complex food relationships, forming food chains and webs.
3. Only consumers are part of the trophic levels in an ecosystem.

• A. ii, iii
• B. i, ii
• C. i only
• D. ii only

Answer 1

Answer:

B. i, ii

• Within an ecosystem, organisms are organized into trophic levels based on their feeding position.

• Producers (e.g., plants) form the base, followed by primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores that eat herbivores), and tertiary consumers (carnivores that eat other carnivores).

• Decomposers (e.g., bacteria and fungi) break down dead organic matter from all trophic levels, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem, thus completing the food cycle.