Tertiary Consumers
Definition
Tertiary consumers are organisms that feed on secondary consumers. They occupy the fourth trophic level in a food chain or web.
Analogy
Imagine tertiary consumers as the "top executives" in an organization. Similar to how top executives oversee middle managers, tertiary consumers prey on secondary consumers to obtain energy and maintain balance in ecosystems.
Related terms
Quaternary Consumers: Organisms at the highest trophic level that feed on tertiary consumers.
Apex Predators: Top predators in an ecosystem with no natural predators themselves.
Energy Pyramid: A graphical representation of energy flow through different trophic levels.
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