<P> The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain . The word trophic derives from the Greek τροφή ( trophē ) referring to food or nourishment . A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are , in turn , eaten themselves . The number of steps an organism is from the start of the chain is a measure of its trophic level . Food chains start at trophic level 1 with primary producers such as plants , move to herbivores at level 2 , predators at level 3 and typically finish with carnivores or apex predators at level 4 or 5 . The path along the chain can form either a one - way flow or a food `` web '' . Ecological communities with higher biodiversity form more complex trophic paths . </P>
<P> The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain . The word trophic derives from the Greek τροφή ( trophē ) referring to food or nourishment . A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are , in turn , eaten themselves . The number of steps an organism is from the start of the chain is a measure of its trophic level . Food chains start at trophic level 1 with primary producers such as plants , move to herbivores at level 2 , predators at level 3 and typically finish with carnivores or apex predators at level 4 or 5 . The path along the chain can form either a one - way flow or a food `` web '' . Ecological communities with higher biodiversity form more complex trophic paths . </P>
which type of organism would occupy the bottom trophic level
which type of organism would occupy the bottom trophic level
plants
plants