Ecosystem Roles and Food Chains

What is the primary role of producers in a food chain?

• To create their own food through photosynthesis

• To consume herbivores

• To decompose organic waste

• To prey on secondary consumers

Which of the following organisms is an example of a primary consumer?

• Deer

• Snake

• Hawk

• Fungi

In a marine ecosystem, what is the primary food source for krill?

• Phytoplankton

• Blue whale

• Grass

• Rat

What role do decomposers play in an ecosystem?

• They break down organic waste into inorganic materials

• They consume herbivores

• They are apex predators

• They form the first trophic level

Why is understanding food chains and food webs important for ecology?

• They explain how energy is transferred and ecosystems sustain themselves

• They show how to increase the number of apex predators

• They focus solely on the role of herbivores

• They eliminate the need for decomposers