Final answer:
A five-step terrestrial food chain includes grasses (producers), rabbits (primary consumers/herbivores), foxes (secondary consumers/carnivores), wolves (tertiary consumers), and bears (quaternary consumers/apex predators), each at a specific trophic level.
Step-by-step explanation:
Example of a 5 Organism Food Chain
An example of a 5 organism food chain in a terrestrial ecosystem might be:
- Grasses (Producers)
- Rabbits (Primary Consumers / Herbivores)
- Foxes (Secondary Consumers / Carnivores)
- Wolves (Tertiary Consumers / Larger Carnivores)
- Bears (Quaternary Consumers / Apex Predators)
In this food chain, grasses are the producers that convert solar energy into food through photosynthesis. Rabbits, which eat the grasses, are the primary consumers and herbivores. Foxes, which eat rabbits, are the secondary consumers and considered carnivores. The wolves, as tertiary consumers, feed on the foxes. Lastly, bears, quaternary consumers, can eat wolves and are known as apex predators because they are at the top of the food chain with no natural predators.
Each of these organisms occupies a specific trophic level in our food chain, representing their energy level and position within the ecosystem.