Differentiate between producer and consumer in ecosystem
Producers are autotrophic organisms that are able to produce their own organic food by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis such as plants.
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Plants use the sun’s energy to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic molecules by photosynthesis.
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Bacteria make organic food from inorganic substances by chemosynthesis.
Consumers are heterotrophs that need to obtain ready made organic molecules by feeding on other organisms.
Heterotrophs can be classified as:
Herbivores - eat plants only, primary consumer.
(b) Carnivores - eat animals only.
(c) Omnivores - eat both plants and animals.
Consumers can be classified according to their trophic level (feeding level):
(a) Primary (First order) consumers - are herbivores and they eat the producers.
(b) Secondary (Second order) consumers - are carnivores and they eat the primary consumers.
(c) Tertiary (Third order) consumers - are organisms that eat secondary consumers
Producers are autotrophic organisms that are able to produce their own organic food by photosynthesis or chemosynthesis such as plants.
-
Plants use the sun’s energy to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic molecules by photosynthesis.
-
Bacteria make organic food from inorganic substances by chemosynthesis.
Consumers are heterotrophs that need to obtain ready made organic molecules by feeding on other organisms.
Heterotrophs can be classified as:
Herbivores - eat plants only, primary consumer.
(b) Carnivores - eat animals only.
(c) Omnivores - eat both plants and animals.
Consumers can be classified according to their trophic level (feeding level):
(a) Primary (First order) consumers - are herbivores and they eat the producers.
(b) Secondary (Second order) consumers - are carnivores and they eat the primary consumers.
(c) Tertiary (Third order) consumers - are organisms that eat secondary consumers
