Trophic Levels (Edexcel IGCSE Biology): Revision Note
Exam code: 4BI1
Trophic Levels
The trophic level is the level occupied by an organism within a food chain or food web:
Level | Organisms | Energy transfer |
|---|---|---|
First trophic level | Producers | Producers convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in their tissues |
Second trophic level | Primary consumers | Primary consumers eat producers, transferring energy into their tissues |
Third trophic level | Secondary consumers | Secondary consumers eat primary consumers, transferring energy into their tissues |
Fourth trophic level | Tertiary consumers | Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers, transferring energy into their tissues |
At any trophic level organisms produce waste, or may die; the energy in waste or dead matter is then transferred to decomposers
Consumers can occupy more than one trophic level in a food web, as they may rely on multiple food sources
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