Question

Macroconsumers include
A. Herbivores
B. Carnivores
C. Omnivores
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Various processes such as primary production, energy flow, decomposition, and nutrient cycling are important for maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. The word ‘macro consumer’ refers to mostly all the organisms. Macroconsumers are generally heterotrophs that depend on other organisms for their food.

Complete answer: The energy and nutrients in the ecosystem move through a chain called the food chain. Plants are at the basic stage that produces the energy. Plants are autotrophs, i.e. they can produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. They make use of the sunlight and carbon dioxide as a source of carbon to form energy molecules called ATP. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate. Then, the energy is moved to higher-level organisms called the herbivores. Herbivores can be referred to as organisms which feed on plants only. The higher organisms after herbivores are carnivores that consume herbivores animals. Carnivores are called meat-eaters. Herbivores and carnivores are heterotrophs that feed on living organisms or dead material. The two categories of consumers are macro-consumers and micro-consumers. Herbivores animals, carnivores animals and detritivores belong to the group of macro consumers. Omnivores also belong to macro consumers as they feed on both plants and animal matter. Mainly bacteria and fungi are included in micro consumers because they feed on dead protoplasm. Thus, macro consumers include herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
So, option D is the correct answer.

Note: A community which consists of living organisms and nonliving things which interact as a system is called an ecosystem. The primary producers are placed at the base in the ecological pyramid. The detritivores are the invertebrate heterotrophs which obtain nutrients by consuming detritus. They play an important role in maintaining the fertility and moisture of soil in which the primary producers plants grow.