A part of this synthesized food is used by the producers themselves and the rest of food including elements of autographs are used by the consumers and decomposers. Generally the consumers ingest other organisms, and the vast majority of consumers are animals.

Two major groups of consumers are herbivores which consume the producer groups. Carnivores feed on primary carnivores or other carnivores.

Herbivores -> Primary consumers

Carnivores -> Secondary consumers

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All consumers are other nourishing organisms or heterotrophs. The decom­posers are called reducers and include micro-organisms like bacteria and fungi.

A tertiary consumer eats primary and secondary consumers and is known as ‘top carnivore’. A consumer that feeds on both producers (plants) and consumers (meat) is called an omnivore, a role occupied by human beings among others.

Decomposers are the final link in the chain. They digest and recycle the organic debris and waste in the environ­ment. Materials released by the decom­posers enter the food chain and the cycle continues.

It is to be noted that the final links (decomposers) derive their energy from all the trophic levels.