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Difficulty: MediumEcology and Environment

In a coastal salt marsh, cordgrass captures sunlight to produce energy, marsh snails feed on the cordgrass, and blue crabs prey on the snails. In this food chain, which ecological role do the blue crabs occupy?

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

Answer

Secondary consumer
In ecological trophic pyramids, autotrophs like cordgrass are primary producers, herbivores that eat them are primary consumers, and predators that consume herbivores—such as blue crabs preying on marsh snails—are secondary consumers.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Trace the flow of energy and identify the role of each organism in the described chain.
Cordgrass is the photosynthetic primary producer, marsh snails are herbivorous primary consumers, and blue crabs are carnivores eating the primary consumers.
An organism's trophic level is defined by its feeding position relative to the primary producer.
2
Classify the specific role of the blue crab based on its food source.
Since blue crabs consume primary consumers (herbivorous snails), they function as secondary consumers.
Carnivores that feed directly on primary consumers occupy the secondary consumer tier.

Key Concept

Trophic levels and consumer classifications in food chains
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Ecology and Environment

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