In a complete food web or ecosystem, the primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers can be referred to as follows:
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Primary Consumers: These are herbivores that directly consume producers (plants). They occupy the second trophic level in the food chain.
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Secondary Consumers: These are carnivores or omnivores that eat primary consumers. They occupy the third trophic level.
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Tertiary Consumers: These are predators that eat secondary consumers and are often at the top of the food chain. They occupy the fourth trophic level.
In summary, the primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers are referred to in terms of their position in the food chain or food web, with primary consumers being the first level of consumers, secondary consumers being the second level, and tertiary consumers being the third level. Collectively, they are often referred to as heterotrophs since they cannot produce their own food and rely on other organisms for energy.
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