Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumEcology and Environment

In a desert community, harvester ants gather seeds from saguaro cacti, and horned lizards feed directly on the ants. In this ecological chain, which trophic role do the horned lizards occupy?

  1. A
    Primary producer
  2. B
    Primary consumer
  3. Secondary consumerAnswer
  4. D
    Tertiary consumer

Answer

Secondary consumer
In this food chain, the saguaro cactus is the primary producer, the seed-eating harvester ant is the primary consumer (herbivore), and the horned lizard preying on the ant is the secondary consumer (carnivore/insectivore).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the base producer in the ecosystem chain
The saguaro cactus is the primary producer that captures solar energy and produces seeds.
Establishing the producer level anchors the rest of the trophic hierarchy.
2
Determine the role of the harvester ants
Harvester ants feed directly on seeds (plant material), making them herbivores and primary consumers.
Organisms that directly consume producers are classified as primary consumers.
3
Classify the trophic position of the horned lizards
Horned lizards prey on primary consumers (harvester ants), placing them at the secondary consumer level.
Carnivores and insectivores that feed on primary consumers occupy the secondary consumer trophic tier.

Key Concept

Trophic levels define the feeding positions of organisms in an ecosystem, starting with autotrophic producers and progressing through successive levels of consumers.
Estimated Time:45s
Rate this question

Topics

Ecology and Environment

More questions from this topic