Question

The loss of an apex consumer would impact which trophic level of a food web?

a) Primary producers
b) Primary consumers
c) Secondary consumers
d) Tertiary consumers

Answer 1

The loss of an apex consumer would impact the tertiary consumers of a food web, potentially leading to the collapse of the entire food web.

Step-by-step explanation:

The loss of an apex consumer would impact the tertiary consumers of a food web. Tertiary consumers are carnivores that eat other carnivores. If the apex consumer disappears, the tertiary consumers lose their source of food and may eventually die out. This can potentially lead to the collapse of the entire food web as the higher-level consumers are no longer able to obtain their energy and nutrients. The loss of an apex predator, a linchpin in maintaining trophic dynamics, underscores the delicate interdependence within ecosystems, emphasizing the profound repercussions a single disappearance can unleash across the intricate web of life.