Step 1: Understanding Food Chains and Trophic Levels:
A food chain represents the flow of energy and nutrients from one organism to another. The organisms in a food chain are divided into different trophic levels:
- First Trophic Level: Producers (e.g., plants, grass)
- Second Trophic Level: Primary consumers (e.g., herbivores, such as goats)
- Third Trophic Level: Secondary consumers (e.g., carnivores, such as lions)
Step 2: Analyzing the Given Food Chain:
The options provided are:
- Grass, Goat, Lion:
This food chain shows a typical structure: grass as the producer, goat as the herbivore (primary consumer), and lion as the carnivore (secondary consumer). In this chain, all three trophic levels are represented.
- Grass, Lion:
This food chain is missing the primary consumer (goat), so the second trophic level is absent.
Step 3: Conclusion:
The food chain in which the organisms of the second trophic level are missing is Grass, Lion, as it lacks the herbivore (goat) typically found at the second level.