Which organisms are classified as secondary consumers?

Secondary consumers are organisms that occupy the third trophic level in a food chain. They primarily feed on primary consumers, which are typically herbivores. Carnivores that eat herbivores fit this definition perfectly, as they rely on these primary consumers for their energy and nutrients.

In contrast, herbivores, classified as primary consumers, consume plants and are situated one level below secondary consumers in the food chain. Autotrophs, or producers, manufacture their own food through processes like photosynthesis and represent the base of the food chain. Decomposers, on the other hand, play a crucial role in breaking down organic matter and recycling nutrients, but they do not consume living organisms in the same manner as secondary consumers do. Therefore, the classification of carnivores that eat herbivores accurately describes the role of secondary consumers in ecological food webs.