Question

question 7 of 20 : select the best answer for the question. 7. whats the role of a primary consumer in the food web? a. to combine parts of the ecosystem into one nutrient b. to break down organic matter in the soil c. to eat producers and store some of their energy d. to eat secondary consumers and produce energy mark for review (will be highlighted on the review page) << previous question next question >>

Explanation:

• Option A: Combining ecosystem parts into one nutrient is not the role of primary consumers (decomposers or other processes do not align with primary consumers here).
• Option B: Breaking down organic matter in soil is the role of decomposers (like bacteria/fungi), not primary consumers.
• Option C: Primary consumers are herbivores (or organisms that eat producers - plants/algae). When they eat producers, they obtain energy from the producers and store some of it (while some energy is lost as heat), which matches the definition of primary consumers in a food web.
• Option D: Secondary consumers eat primary consumers, and primary consumers do not eat secondary consumers. Also, organisms do not "produce energy" (energy is transferred, not produced de novo).

Answer:

C. To eat producers and store some of their energy