BRAINCAKEProducers and Consumers
Organisms in an ecosystem can be grouped by how they obtain their energy and nutrients.
Producers make their own organic compounds, usually by photosynthesis, using light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars. Green plants, algae and some bacteria are producers. They are also called autotrophs. Almost all the energy in an ecosystem enters through producers.
Consumers cannot make their own food, so they obtain energy by eating other organisms. They are heterotrophs.
• Primary consumers eat producers. They are herbivores, such as rabbits, caterpillars and zooplankton.
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Key terms in this lesson
- ecosystem
- All the living organisms in a particular area, interacting with each other and with the non-living parts of their environment.
More in Ecosystems
- Ecosystems
- Biotic Factors
- Abiotic Factors
- Trophic Levels
- Biomass Transfer
- Ecological Efficiency
- Calculating Efficiency of Biomass Transfer
- Human Activities and Biomass Transfer
All 21 lessons in Ecosystems · All OCR A-level Biology topics