From the producer level, to which trophic level does energy flow directly in an ecosystem?

• A. Primary consumers
• B. Decomposers
• C. Tertiary consumers
• D. Secondary consumers

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of trophic levels: Trophic levels represent the hierarchical positions in a food chain, starting with producers (organisms that create their own food, like plants) and followed by consumers (organisms that eat other organisms).
2. Recognize the role of producers: Producers, such as plants and algae, are at the base of the food chain. They convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis, which is then available to other organisms.
3. Identify primary consumers: Primary consumers are herbivores that directly consume producers. For example, a rabbit eating grass is a primary consumer.
4. Understand energy flow: Energy flows from producers to primary consumers in the ecosystem. This is the first transfer of energy from one trophic level to another.
5. Eliminate other options: Secondary consumers eat primary consumers, tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers, and decomposers break down dead organic matter. None of these directly consume producers, so the correct answer is primary consumers.