Write a food chain in which the hawk is a secondary consumer:
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Food Chain
Grass → Mouse → Hawk
Explanation
A food chain illustrates the flow of energy through an ecosystem. Each organism occupies a specific position called a trophic level, which is determined by its source of food. This sequence begins with a producer and follows a single pathway to the top consumers.
Producer (First Trophic Level): Grass
At the base of this food chain is grass. As a producer, grass creates its own food through photosynthesis, converting sunlight into chemical energy. Producers form the foundation of nearly all ecosystems by capturing initial energy and making it available to other organisms. They hold the largest amount of energy within the food chain.
Primary Consumer (Second Trophic Level): Mouse
The next link is the mouse, a primary consumer. Primary consumers are herbivores, meaning they obtain their energy by eating producers. In this example, the mouse consumes grass to fuel its life processes. By eating the grass, the mouse transfers the stored energy from the first trophic level to the second.
Secondary Consumer (Third Trophic Level): Hawk
The hawk is the secondary consumer in this particular food chain. A secondary consumer is an animal, typically a carnivore or omnivore, that preys on primary consumers. Here, the hawk hunts and eats the mouse, transferring energy from the second trophic level to the third. The hawk’s classification as a secondary consumer is entirely dependent on its prey in this context. If the hawk were to eat a snake that had eaten the mouse, it would then be classified as a tertiary consumer.
This simple chain demonstrates a direct transfer of energy. However, it is important to note that a significant amount of energy—around 90%—is lost as heat at each transfer between trophic levels. This energy loss limits the length of food chains and shows why organisms at higher levels require a large base of producers to support them.
