In the scenario where a butterfly is eating nectar from a plant, and then a bird eats the butterfly, followed by a lion eating the bird, we can identify the different trophic levels:
- Primary Producer: The plant is the primary producer. It converts sunlight into energy through photosynthesis, providing food for the butterfly.
- Primary Consumer: The butterfly is the primary consumer. It feeds directly on the plant, consuming the nectar, which is its source of energy.
- Secondary Consumer: The bird is the secondary consumer. It preys on the butterfly, gaining energy by eating it.
- Tertiary Consumer: The lion is the tertiary consumer. It hunts and consumes the bird, obtaining energy from the secondary consumer in this chain.
This flow illustrates the interconnectedness of food webs, with energy passing from one level to the next, starting from plants (primary producers) to herbivores (primary consumers), then to carnivores (secondary consumers), and finally to apex predators (tertiary consumers).