explain why a bird can be both a primary and a secondary consumer in the food web below. would the bird have…
explain why a bird can be both a primary and a secondary consumer in the food web below. would the bird have access to more energy at trophic level 2 or trophic level 3? use evidence from the diagram to justify your explanation.
Answer
Explanation:
Step1: Define consumer types
Primary consumers eat producers. Secondary consumers eat primary - consumers.
Step2: Analyze bird's diet
The bird can eat the insect (a primary consumer), making it a secondary consumer. It can also eat the plant (a producer), making it a primary consumer.
Step3: Energy transfer principle
Energy decreases as we move up trophic levels. Only about 10% of energy is transferred to the next level.
Step4: Determine energy access
The bird would have access to more energy at trophic level 2. At trophic level 2, it is a primary consumer eating the producer (tree). At trophic level 3, it is a secondary consumer eating the primary - consumer (insect), and some energy has already been lost when the insect consumed the producer.
Answer:
The bird can be a primary consumer when it eats the plant and a secondary consumer when it eats the insect. It has access to more energy at trophic level 2.