Question

If the primary producers are absent from any ecosystem, which of the following will occur?

• A. Food chain will collapse
• B. Primary consumers will not survive
• C. No effect on secondary consumers
• D. No change will take place

Answer 1

The correct option is A Food chain will collapse

Ecosystem is formed by the interaction of biotic and abiotic components present in the environment. Organisms occupy a specific place in the food chain known as their trophic level. Producers belong to the first trophic level, herbivores (primary consumers) to the second and carnivores (secondary consumers) to the third and top consumers (tertiary consumers) to the fourth trophic level.

Since only producers have the ability to convert physical form of energy into chemical form, all other organisms depend upon producers directly or indirectly for energy in the form of food. Absence of primary producers from any ecosystem leads to the collapse of the food chain.

Energy flow through different trophic levels