Is A Snake A Consumer

3rd Consumer Definition

A tertiary consumer is an animal that obtains its nutrition by eating primary consumers and secondary consumers. Usually tertiary consumers are cannibal predators, although they may also exist omnivores, which are animals that feed on both meat and plant textile.

Function of Tertiary Consumers

Within any ecosystem, the energy that is nowadays within its organisms is passed through a food chain or food web. Each organism in a food concatenation occupies a detail position called a trophic level, whereby animals eat other animals in lower trophic levels and are eaten by those in higher trophic levels.

Tertiary consumers ofttimes occupy the top trophic level, and and then are predated by no other animals; in this case they are called "apex predators". However, when they die their bodies will be consumed past scavengers and decomposers.

Sometimes in a food chain there is an apex predator above the tertiary consumer. Even so, energy is used up and is lost as heat equally it is transferred through each of the trophic levels, which results in a low availability of energy in the higher levels (this can be viewed every bit an energy pyramid). Information technology is therefore common to only have four trophic levels, and for the third consumer to agree the ecological function of the apex predator.

Species in the highest trophic levels play a very important role in ecosystems. They control populations or change the behaviour of animals in lower trophic levels. Animals in lower trophic levels may exist carnivores, herbivores or omnivores, and when their populations are limited it relieves either predation or grazing pressure on the trophic levels below them. This keeps ecosystem dynamics in residuum. For example, if a population of foxes becomes likewise big it could put pressure on rabbit populations. By predating the foxes, a third consumer, such as a hawk, keeps the populations in bank check and reduces the amount of rabbits that are consumed by the foxes. This is called a trophic cascade.

The image shows an example of a trophic cascade. When the predator is nowadays the deer population is controlled, however, if predators are removed deer populations grow and this can bear on the vegetation of an ecosystem.

Examples of 3rd Consumers

Big Cats

All big cats, such equally tigers, lions, pumas and jaguars are tertiary consumers. They are besides all apex predators, meaning they accept no predators in their natural surroundings—an exception to this is the leopard, which is occasionally predated by lions and tigers, with which they share habitats.

The concrete features of the big cats are typical of apex predators. They have large teeth, jaws and claws; they have frontwards facing eyes for tracking prey; they also have potent muscles and can often run at great speed.

Big cats consume prey from all trophic levels beneath them. This includes herbivores that live in herds such every bit buffalo, zebras and wildebeest, and secondary consumers such as foxes and hyenas. They also sometimes swallow big animals such as crocodiles when on state, although when in the h2o, the crocodiles—which are besides tertiary consumers—have an advantage, and the big cats can become vulnerable to attack.

Marine Third Consumers

There are many examples of tertiary consumers in marine ecosystems. The primary producers of the oceans, phytoplankton, are generally consumed past microscopic organisms called zooplankton, and and then the numerous animals that feed on the zooplankton are secondary consumers. Fish, jellyfish and crustaceans are mutual secondary consumers, although basking sharks and some whales besides feed on the zooplankton.

Phytoplankton are extremely numerous, and supply ecosystems with a huge amount of biomass and thus provide lots of energy inside the trophic pyramid. Because there is such a large amount of available free energy, the secondary consumers (fish etc.) are also numerous and many animals feed on them.

3rd consumers in marine environments include larger fish such as tuna, barracuda and groupers, seals and ocean lions, jellyfish, dolphins, moray eels, turtles, sharks and whales—some of which are apex predators, such equally the great white or tiger sharks and orca whales. Additionally, many seabirds such equally gulls, shearwaters and penguins are third consumers.

Simplified food chain
The prototype shows a simplified example of a food concatenation in a terrestrial (left) and a marine surround (marine).

In freshwater environments, predatory fish, such every bit pike, consume smaller fish as well as other secondary consumers such as frogs, snakes, birds and modest mammals.

Humans

Humans are omnivorous, meaning they consume both constitute and animal materials. They also accept a widely varied diet and so consume foods from every trophic level, including decomposers such equally mushrooms!

If a person chooses to be a vegetarian or vegan, they would be classed every bit a primary consumer as they only eat plant material. By eating foods such as grain-fed chicken, a person would fill the role of secondary consumer, still, if that craven is as well able to eat insects the person is a tertiary consumer.

Humans are oft thought of every bit apex predators, because they have acquired the ability to kill any animal using weapons etc. Still, if yous took away a person's gun and put them face to confront with a lion…who do y'all think would be eaten?

Principal Producers – Autotrophic organisms that use photosynthesis to create their own food using energy from the sun.
Primary Consumers – Heterotrophic organisms also known as herbivores, which acquire nutrition from consuming main producers.
Free energy Pyramid – The graphical representation of the period of energy through the trophic levels of an ecosystem.
Trophic Cascade – The summit-down effect that predators have on populations of prey within an ecosystem.

Quiz

one. Which of the following describes a tertiary consumer?
A. An fauna that eats other carnivorous or omnivorous animals
B. An herbivorous animal
C. A fast brute
D. An animal in the third trophic level

Respond to Question #1

A is correct. Tertiary consumers eat secondary consumers—animals that consume other animals. Both the secondary and tertiary consumers may be cannibal or omnivorous.

2. Which of the following is an example of a tertiary consumer?
A. Mouse
B. Tarantula
C. Militarist
D. Toad

Reply to Question #2

C is correct. Hawks feed on many different animals, including carnivorous animals such every bit snakes, lizards and sometimes foxes or other larger predators.

3. Which of the following is non a typical feature of an noon predator?
A. Sharp claws
B. Strong muscles
C. Thick fur
D. Speed

Answer to Question #three

C is correct. Although noon predators such as polar bears take thick fur, there are many examples without, such equally killer whales, snakes and eagles. Apex predators have the adaptions for communicable and killing prey such as speed, force and sharp claws or teeth.