Question

Tiger is a ____________ because it eats only meat.

Answer 1

Hint: Each organism requires energy to perform different biological purposes. The energy is needed for the growth, development and to undergo different physiological and biological functions. The living organism gets energy by consuming food. The plants are the only organism which can produce their own food.

Complete answer:
In an ecosystem, the living organisms are the biotic component and they depend on the environment to grow and survive. The organisms require energy for their growth and sustaining life, and they get the energy from food. When the organism consumes foods, they break down the complex constituents of the food into more simpler units by the process of digestion and assimilation. The food is primarily obtained in the form of sugars which are further broken down into basic components such as water, carbon dioxide and other waste materials.

Among the living organisms, the plants are the organism which can produce food in the form of sugars. The plants produce their food by utilizing the raw materials such as carbon dioxide, waste, minerals in the presence of sunlight. The plants are called as the producers as they produce foods not only for themselves, but other animals also depend on the plants as they consume plants either directly or indirectly. The organisms that depend on the plant and eat them as food are known as the herbivores animals. They are the first level consumers as they depend directly on the plants.

The animals that depend on the herbivores for their food are known as the carnivores. The carnivores are the meat consuming animals and they eat the herbivores. The carnivores are the second level of consumer in an ecosystem as they are the flesh eaters and they consume the herbivores and are represented by lions, tigers, fox and other meat-eating animals. They are important in the sense that they only consume flesh or meat of the other herbivore animals and help to check the increase in the number of them.

Therefore, tiger is a carnivore because it only eats meat.

Note: The different organisms in an ecosystem are dependent on the other animals based on food preferences. The plants produce foods by the process of photosynthesis and so are known as producers. The herbivores or the first level consumers are the animals that eat the plants as their food. The herbivores are in turn consumed by the carnivores or the flesh eaters.