Question

Trophic levels are formed by
A. Plants
B. Animals
C. Organisms linked in food chain
D. Carnivores

Answer 1

Hint:
In an ecosystem, the abiotic and biotic components are linked together. The abiotic components include the non-living matters such as sunlight, temperature, air, minerals and water. The biotic components are the living organisms. Both the abiotic and biotic units maintain a relationship to survive and grow in the ecosystem.

Complete answer:
In any ecosystem, food is an important aspect as living organisms need food for growth, development, maintenance of different biological processes. Food is needed to produce energy to carry out the life processes.

In an ecosystem, the green plants produce their own food by the process of photosynthesis. In this process, the plants use the light energy of the sunlight and convert it into chemical energy. The food produced is in the form of chemical compounds such as simple sugars. The plants are known as the autotrophs or the producers.

The next group of animals are the consumers or the heterotrophs. These animals cannot produce their own food and so for their nutrient requirements they have to be dependent on the plants and other organisms. The consumers are divided into three groups on the basis of food preferences, these are; the herbivores, the carnivores and the omnivores. The herbivores are the animals that directly consume only the plants or the producers. These are the first level of consumers, e.g. goat, cow etc. The next level belongs to the organisms that eat the herbivores as food and they form the second level or secondary consumers. The third level of consumers are the organisms that feed on both the herbivores and the plants. They are the omnivores and also known as the top level consumers.

Thus, we find that all the organisms are engaged in a link on the basis of food. The trophic levels are the level occupied by a group of organisms within an ecosystem. Due to their nutritive series, the organisms are arranged into levels which are called the trophic levels. All the organisms are classified on the basis of their food preferences and feeding behaviour into different levels.

The first and primary level is represented by the plants because they can produce their food in form of chemical compounds. They are consumed by the plant eaters or the herbivores. The herbivores belong to the second level of the trophic levels. At the third level, the carnivores are found and the top most level is upheld by the omnivores. A separate trophic level of the decomposers also are present in the trophic level. The decomposers such as bacteria and fungi help to decompose the dead and decay matter and release the minerals back to the soil.

Thus, trophic level is formed by the various organisms of the ecosystem as they are linked on the basis of food and its contained energy, in a chain like manner.

Hence, option C is the most accurate and correct option.

Note: The trophic level of an ecosystem is the position an organism occupies on the food chain. All the organisms are presented on the trophic levels on the basis of their feeding nature. Thus, it can be said that trophic levels are made by all the different organisms of the ecosystem.