Ecosystem — BIOLOGY STD 12 Science — Question

→ All animals depend on plants (directly or indirectly) for their food needs.
→ They are hence called consumers and also heterotrophs.
→ If they feed on the producers, the plants, they are called primary consumers.
→ Obviously the primary consumers will be herbivores.
→ If the animals eat other animals which in turn eat the plants (or their product) they are called secondary consumers.
→ Likewise, you could have tertiary consumers too.
→ The consumers that feed on these herbivores are carnivores, or more correctly primary carnivores (though secondary consumers).