Basic Components of an Ecosystem
Biotic Components
Consumers
Organisms that feed directly on producers or green plants are called first-order consumers. Examples of these are insects, such as caterpillars. Animals that eat first order consumers are called second-order consumers. Examples of these are birds and frogs. Consumers that feed on second-order consumers, such as snakes, are called third-order consumers, and so on. The succession of consumers from the producers is one of the most complex networks of interaction among organisms in an ecosystem.
Consumers are also classified based on the food they eat. Herbivores, such as cows and horses, feed on plants. Carnivores, such as tigers and lions, eat the flesh of other animals. Omnivores, like humans, feed on both plants and animals.
A scavenger is a consumer that feeds on the tissues of dead animals. Examples of scavengers are vultures, crows, and ants.
