Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) Practice Exam 2026 – Your All-in-One Guide to Exam Mastery!

A primary consumer is defined as an organism that feeds primarily on producers, which are typically plants or other autotrophs that generate energy through photosynthesis. Herbivores are the classic example of primary consumers, as they exclusively consume plant material. This means that they occupy the second trophic level in the food chain, directly dependent on the energy produced by the first trophic level, which consists of autotrophs.

In this context, other options do not fit the definition of primary consumers. Carnivores primarily consume other animals and are considered secondary or tertiary consumers, depending on their position in the food web. Omnivores consume both plant and animal matter, and while they can also be primary consumers if they eat plants, they are not exclusively dependent on producers. Autotrophs are organisms that produce their own food and serve as the primary source of energy in ecosystems, making them producers rather than consumers.