preview

Trophic Level Essay

Satisfactory Essays

To answer question 3, in the typical ecosystem there are usually 4-5 trophic levels, the higher the level the less energy and less organisms. The first level is made up of autotrophs, made up of plants and only organisms that create their own energy and nutrients via sunlight. The second level is made up of 1st order heterotrophs, herbivores only as they feed off of the autotrophs only. The next level is made of 2nd order heterotrophs, most commonly they are omnivores, feeding off of both autotrophs and 1st order heterotrophs. The next are 3rd order heterotrophs, most commonly carnivores choosing to prey upon 1st and 2nd order heterotrophs. These 3rd order heterotrophs usually conclude the trophic levels in one particular ecosystem but they may have a 4th order heterotroph either a carnivore or a decomposer. Moving onto the next part of question 3, energy moves towards predators but …show more content…

Some common limiting factors include Predators, resources, and temperature. since only certain organisms are capable of living in its ecosystem some must adapt. Depending on the amount of organisms in each area and the type of organism another could die out or expand. this relates to the relationship but that is not a relationship like mutualism or parasitism, it is most close to predator-prey relationships because it usually starts out with a certain amount of prey end as it increases so will the amount of predators. when the number of predators surpasses the amount of prey, prey will decrease and the amount of predators will also decrease. it will continue on table until perhaps a natural disaster affects it. It usually goes up and down repeatedly, similarly to a merry-go-round. the things that affect this are usually large limiting factors such as natural disasters like fire, droughts, floods, or any density independent limiting factor. the more limiting factors the less

Get Access