The first organism in a food chain is called a producer. Producers are typically plants or phytoplankton that can make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They serve as the foundational level in the food chain, converting solar energy into chemical energy that can be used by other organisms.
In a typical food chain, the energy flow begins with these producers. Herbivores, or primary consumers, feed on the producers, and then carnivores or secondary consumers feed on the herbivores. Without producers, the entire ecosystem would collapse as there would be no energy source available for higher trophic levels.