Question

The diagram shows a forest food web.



Which organism is both a secondary and tertiary consumer?

rabbit
fox
grasshopper
shrew

Answer 1

In a food web, a secondary consumer is typically an organism that eats primary consumers (herbivores), while a tertiary consumer is an organism that eats secondary consumers.

Looking at the options provided:

- A **rabbit** is usually a primary consumer, as it eats grass (producers).
- A **fox** is typically a tertiary consumer, as it often eats secondary consumers such as rabbits or shrews.
- A **grasshopper** is also a primary consumer, as it feeds on plants.
- A **shrew** can be a secondary consumer, as it may eat insects like grasshoppers.

Based on this, the **fox** is the organism that serves as a tertiary consumer, while the **shrew** can act as a secondary consumer. However, the only organism that can be both a secondary and tertiary consumer in different contexts is the **fox**, since it can also consume secondary consumers depending on the ecosystem and available food sources.

If the question is asking for an organism present in multiple roles in the food web, **shrew** would fit as it consumes insects (secondary) but can also be preyed on by larger animals like the fox (tertiary). If you were to select the most common organism fulfilling both roles directly, you would refer to **shrew**.

In conclusion, the most suitable answer for an organism that can act as both a secondary and tertiary consumer depending on its role in the food web is the **shrew**.