12 – 1 What are producers and consumers? Producers Almost all energy that is used by living things comes from the Sun. Organisms that use the Sun’s energy to make their own food are called producers. On land, the main producers are plants. The main producers in lakes and oceans are algae and phytoplankton. Consumers Most types of organisms cannot make their own food. Instead, they get energy by eating other organisms. An organism that eats other organisms is a consumer. Some consumers eat only plants. They are called herbivores. Rabbits are herbivores. They eat grass and other plants. Some consumers only eat animals. They are called carnivores. Lions are carnivores because they eat other animals. Other consumers are omnivores. Omnivores eat both plants and animals. Humans are omnivores because we eat plants and animals. Levels of Consumers A primary consumer is an organism that eats producers. Most herbivores are primary consumers. Caterpillars eat leaves and other plants. They are primary consumers. Organisms that eat primary consumers are secondary consumers. Tree frogs eat small plant-eating animals, such as caterpillars and butterflies. Tree frogs are secondary consumers. Consumers that eat secondary consumers are called tertiary consumers. Toucans are birds that eat small meat eating animals, such as tree frogs and snakes. Toucans are tertiary consumers. Some animals, such as toucans are both secondary and tertiary consumers. Most humans are primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers. Scavengers and Decomposers Some animals feed on dead animals. These animals are scavengers. Scavengers eat animals that have died or been killed by other animals. Vultures, hyenas, and certain ants, beetles, and worms are scavengers. Scavengers can be both secondary and tertiary consumers. Organisms that break down the waste or remains of organisms are decomposers. Decomposers return materials from dead organisms to the soil, air, and water. Most bacteria and fungi are decomposers. 12-1 What are producers and consumers? Lesson Review Match each term in Column B with its description in Column A. Write the letter of the correct term in the space provided. Column A Column B _________ 1. organism that makes its own food a. producer _________ 2. animal that eats dead organisms b. secondary consumer _________ 3. animal that eats plant-eating animals c. decomposer _________ 4. organism that breaks down the wastes or remains of other organisms d. tertiary consumer e. scavenger _________ 5. animal that eats meat-eating animals f. _________ 6. main producers in lakes and oceans algae and phytoplankton _________ 7. consumer that eats only plants g. omnivore _________ 8. consumer that eats only animals h. herbivore _________ 9. consumer that eats both plants and animals i. carnivore Skill Challenge Skills: classifying, applying concepts Classify each organism listed in the table as a producer, consumer, scavenger, or decomposer. Place a check mark in the correct column. CLASSIFYING ORGANISMS Organism 1. Seaweed 2. Duck 3. Hawk 4. Hyena 5. Bacteria 6. Vulture 7. Rabbit 8. Grass 9. Apple tree 10. Fungus Producer Consumer Scavenger Decomposer CHECKING CONCEPTS 1. Producers use energy from the to make their own food. 2. Some producers in lakes are . 3. Organisms that eat the remains of dead animals are 4. Organisms that eat only producers are 5. Secondary consumers are eaten by . consumers. .