Question

List the organisms which occupy more than one trophic level in an ecosystem.

Answer 1

Example 1:

1. Human being (Man) is an omnivore, i.e. its feeds on both plants and animals.
2. When man feeds on plant, he becomes a herbivore (occupying the Second Trophic level).
3. When he eat animals (meat), he becomes a carnivore thus occupying higher tropic level in the food chain.

Example 2:

Consider the following three food chains:

First Chain: Grass (T₁) → Grasshopper (T₂) → Lizard (T₃) → Hawk (T₄)

Second Chain: Grass (T₁) → Grasshopper (T₂) → Hawk (T₃)

Third Chain: Grass (T₁) → Grasshopper (T₂) → Frog (T₃) → Snake (T₄) → Hawk (T₅)

In the First food chain, Hawk occupies the Fourth Trophic level, i.e. it is a Secondary carnivore.

In the Second food chain, Hawk occupies the Third Trophic level, i.e. it is a Primary Carnivore.

In the Third food chain, Hawk occupies the Fifth trophic level, i.e. it is a Top-level carnivore.

Thus, Humans (Man) and Hawk occupies more than one trophic level in the ecosystem.