Question

When a big fish eats a small fish which eats water fleas supported by phytoplankton, the water fleas are ______.

Options

• producers

• primary consumers

• secondary consumers

• top consumers in this food chain

Answer 1

When a big fish eats a small fish which eats water fleas supported by phytoplankton, the water fleas are primary consumers.

Explanation:

Water fleas feed on phytoplankton, which are producers. Since water fleas consume producers, they are primary consumers in this food chain, occupying the second trophic level. The small fish that eat water fleas are secondary consumers, and the big fish eating the small fish are higher-level consumers. Hence, water fleas are primary consumers because they directly feed on producers (phytoplankton).