Secondary Consumer - GCSE Biology Definition

Reviewed by: Lára Marie McIvor

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A secondary consumer is an animal that eats primary consumers in a food chain. Primary consumers are usually herbivores that feed on producers (plants or algae), while secondary consumers are typically carnivores or omnivores that eat these herbivores. For example, in a woodland ecosystem, a frog is a secondary consumer because it eats insects that feed on plants. Secondary consumers help transfer energy through trophic levels and are an important part of understanding how ecosystems function in GCSE Biology.

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Lára Marie McIvor

Reviewer: Lára Marie McIvor

Expertise: Biology, Psychology & Sociology Subject Lead

Lára graduated from Oxford University in Biological Sciences and has now been a science tutor working in the UK for several years. Lára has a particular interest in the area of infectious disease and epidemiology, and enjoys creating original educational materials that develop confidence and facilitate learning.

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