Levels+and+roles

__Levels and Roles__

 * 1) Producers (autotrophs) make their own food from compounds gathered from their environment, e.g. grass, leaves, algae. They exist at the bottom of the food chain. Most producers use sunlight to produce carbohydrates through photosynthesis.
 * 2) Primary consumers (heterotrophs) get the energy and nutrients they need from producers or their own remains, e.g. rabbits.
 * 3) consumers feed on primary consumers, e.g. hawks, foxes.
 * 4) Apex consumers are the highest level of consumers. A human is an example of an apex consumer.
 * 5) Decomposers feed off of dead organisms and break down dead organic matter (plants and animals). Their role in the ecosystem is to recycle nutrients and to convert unusable nutrients into useful matter by enriching the soil from decomposing organic matter. Decomposers include the various types of bacteria and fungi.


 * Note:** organisms can be categorized into different levels depending on their feeding habits.