- What are consumer organisms?
- primary consumers
- secondary consumers
- Tertiary consumers
- Quaternary consumers
- Examples of consuming organisms
We explain what consumer organisms are and how they are classified. Also, some examples of these organisms.
What are consumer organisms?
The organisms consumers, also called organisms heterotrophs, are those incapable of synthesizing their nutrients from molecules inorganic and sources of Energy external, as do autotrophs (via the photosynthesis). Therefore, consumers must feed themselves by consuming the organic material coming from others living beings, to obtain energy from its digestion and decomposition.
In this way, when studying the trophic relationships of a ecosystem, can be distinguished between producing organisms (autotrophs, usually floors and/or algae) and consuming organisms, which can be of different types:
- herbivores. They are organisms that feed on the different parts and by-products of plants and other autotrophic beings.
- Carnivores. They are organisms that feed on the body of others. animals (which can be herbivores or also carnivores). Depending on how they do it, they can be:
- predators. They are animals that hunt other animals to consume their meat, ending their lives to prolong their own.
- parasites. They are animals that feed on the body of other animals, without killing them, although causing damage in the process.
- omnivores. They are animals that feed on any type of organic matter.
- Detritivores. They are organisms that feed on dead organic matter, that is, corpses, droppings, fallen leaves, etc. They are the recycling department of the nature. One type of detritivore are scavengers, which feed on the remains of the hunt left by the predators.
primary consumers
The first rung on a trophic ladder is occupied by primary consumers, also called herbivores.
They are the ones that feed on the producing organisms, and constitute the first link of consumers in the chain of transmission of matter Y Energy.
They serve as prey to the first level of predators, functioning as a bridge between the nutrients that plants synthesize through the photosynthesis, and the rest of the meat-eating animals.
secondary consumers
The first rung of predators, that is, of carnivores, is generally made up of animals that feed on animals.
In many ecosystems this is the link of the small carnivores, or also of the omnivorous animals, which feed on everything.
These, in turn, serve as a transmission of nutrients and matter to a higher level of predators, which feed on the meat of smaller predators, as a larger fish does with a medium fish.
Tertiary consumers
Tertiary consumers are often the end of the food chain, and they are known as predators, that is, consumers that feed on primary and secondary consumers.
They have a strictly carnivorous diet, which keeps the growth of these at bay. stocks. In this category are the snakes, the hawks, the owls, the killer whales, the wild dogs.
Quaternary consumers
Depending on the ecosystem, there may be quaternary consumers: creatures that feed on tertiary consumers, and that occupy the final position (the top) of any form of trophic pyramid, that is, the final consumers or absolute predators.
African big cats, canids, birds of prey, sharks and other particularly voracious animal forms. The human being it is among them, since we have no natural predator of any kind (except, perhaps, ourselves).
Examples of consuming organisms
Some simple examples of consuming organisms are:
- primary consumers. The giraffes, rabbits, squirrels, caterpillars, cows, rhinos, goats, herbivorous birds, zooplankton.
- secondary consumers. The foxes, the spiders, praying mantises, opossums, seals and small hunting snakes.
- Tertiary consumers. The anaconda snakes, the hawks, the owls, the killer whales, the wild dogs.
- Quaternary consumers. polar bears, lions, the eagles, the tigers, the sharks, the crocodiles, the human being.