SLV Native Habitat Restoration: Understanding Trophic Structures

Trophic structure describes how energy moves through living systems — starting with plants, then insects, then birds, and larger wildlife. It explains “who eats whom” and highlights how native plants form the foundation of healthy ecosystems. In the San Lorenzo Valley, these levels linclude: producers – native plants like Wild Ginger, Trillium, and Columbine that convert sunlight into energy through the process of photosynthesis; primary consumers – herbivores that eat the plants and pollinators (like caterpillars, native bees); secondary consumers – predators such as spiders, birds, or frogs that eat the herbivores; & tertiary consumers – top predators like hawks or foxes that eat other predators. Read ON.