Question

Consider the following prairie food chain. Tall grass is consumed by grasshoppers that, in turn, are eaten by mice, and the mice are eaten by prairie kingsnakes. Red-tailed hawks prey on mice and prairie kingsnakes. When a red-tailed hawk dies, bacteria, beetles, fungi, and many types of worms help break down the body. Which of the following correctly identifies a trophic level in this ecosystem? View Available Hint(s)

A. The tall grass is a decomposer
B. The red-tailed hawk is a secondary consumer.
C. The worms are primary producers.
D. Grasshoppers are primary consumers.

Answer 1

Trophic levels in this prairie food chain include the tall grass as a primary producer, grasshoppers as primary consumers, and mice as secondary consumers. Red-tailed hawks are tertiary consumers and worms are decomposers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Trophic levels in an ecosystem represent different feeding positions in a food chain or food web. In this prairie food chain, the tall grass is a primary producer, while the grasshoppers are primary consumers. The mice are secondary consumers and the prairie kingsnakes are tertiary consumers. The red-tailed hawk is an apex consumer at the top of the food chain. The worms play a role as decomposers, breaking down the body of a dead red-tailed hawk.

Answer 2

Grasshoppers are primary consumers.

Step-by-step explanation:

Autotrophs serve as primary producers in a food chain as they can make organic food by the process of photosynthesis. In the given food chain, tall grass is the primary producer. Grasshoppers derive their nutrition from the tall grass. The organisms that derive nutrition directly from the primary producers are said to be primary consumers. This makes grasshoppers primary consumers.

Mice the secondary consumers as they feed on the grasshoppers, the primary consumers. Red-tailed hawks are the top consumers in the given food chain. The bacteria, beetles, fungi, and worms are the decomposers that derive nutrition from the organic matter present in the dead bodies of the red-tailed hawks.