In a trophic web there are several trophic chains, each with varying number of levels. In the exposed example, the maximum number of trophic levels in the pathways leading to the gray whales is four.
Trophic web
When talking about the trophic web, we refer to the energy transference from one organism to the other.
These organisms place at different levels. Each level feeds on the anterior one and gets eaten by the next one.
The first link is composed of organisms that take radiation energy to produce organic compounds. These are autotroph organisms or producers.
The following links are the consumers:
- Herbivores are primary consumers and feed on producers.
- Carnivores are secondary consumers that feed on herbivores.
- Tertiary consumers feed on secondary consumers, and so on.
The last links are the decomposers, fungi, and microorganisms that act on dead animals degrading organic matter.
Any change that occurs at any of the links will immediately affect the other links too. It will cause an increase or decrease in their population sizes.
In the exposed image of a trophic web, we can identify three trophic chains,
1) From phytoplancton to euphasiids
From euphasiids to Gray whales
There are three levels:
- Phytoplancton ⇒ producer,
- Euphasiids ⇒ primary consumer,
- Gray whales ⇒ secondary consumer.
2) From phytoplancton to crustacean Nauplii
From crustacean Nauplii to Crab larvae
Fom Crab Larvae to Gray whales.
There are four levels:
- Phytoplancton ⇒ producer,
- crustacean Nauplii ⇒ primary consumer,
- Crab larvae ⇒ secondary consumer,
- Gray whales ⇒ tertiary consumer.
3) From phytoplancton to copepods
From copepods to Crab larvae
Fom Crab Larvae to Gray whales.
There are three levels:
- Phytoplancton ⇒ producer,
- Copepods ⇒ primary consumer,
- Crab larvae ⇒ secondary consumer,
- Gray whales ⇒ tertiary consumer.
The maximum number of trophic levels is four.
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