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Trophic Levels

Omnivores



Omnivores are animals that feed at various places within the food web and are therefore difficult to classify in terms of trophic level. For example, grizzly bears are highly opportunistic animals that feed quite widely, on sedges and berries, small mammals, fish, and dead animals (or carrion). Of course, humans are the most omnivorous of all species (we eat just about anything that is not acutely poisonous), and in turn are not eaten by many other creatures, except, eventually, by detritivores.



Resources

Books

Odum, E.P. Ecology and Our Endangered Life Support Systems. New York: Sinauer, 1993.

Ricklefs, R.E. Ecology. New York: W.H. Freeman and Co., 1990.


Bill Freedman

KEY TERMS

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Autotroph

—This refers to organisms that can synthesize their biochemical constituents using inorganic precursors and an external source of energy.

Heterotrophic

—Organism that requires food from the environment since it is unable to synthesize nutrients from inorganic raw materials.

Trophic

—Pertaining to the means of nutrition.

Additional topics

Science EncyclopediaScience & Philosophy: Toxicology - Toxicology In Practice to TwinsTrophic Levels - Primary Producers, Primary Consumers, Secondary And Higher-order Consumers, Omnivores - Detritivores