Class 12 · Ecosystem

Consumer Types and Trophic Levels — NEET Biology

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📖 NCERT Source

All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs. They are hence called consumers and also heterotrophs. If they feed on the producers, the plants, they are called primary consumers, and if the animals eat other animals which in turn eat the plants (or their produce) they are called secondary consumers. Likewise, you could have tertiary consumers too. Obviously the primary consumers will be herbivores. Some common herbivores are insects, birds and mammals in terrestrial ecosystem and molluscs in aquatic ecosystem.

NCERT Biology · Class 12 · Chapter 12 · Paragraph 21
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Match the Following: Column I A. Gross Primary Productivity B. Mineralisation C. Grazing Food Chain D. Top Consumer Column II 1. Conversion of inorganic nutrients from humus 2. Tertiary carnivore 3. Total photosynthesis including respiration losses 4. Energy flow major in aquatic ecosystems

📖 Solution & NCERT Explanation
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Correct answer: C A–3, B–1, C–4, D–2

Leaching sends nutrients down. Saprotrophs = fungi, bacteria. Forest pyramid inverted. Secondary consumers feed on herbivores.

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What does NCERT say about All animals depend on?
All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs. They are hence called consumers and also heterotrophs.
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Which chapter is this from?
Ecosystem, Class 12 NCERT Biology.

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