<P> Consumers are organisms that eat organisms from a different population . These organisms are formally referred to as heterotrophs, which include animals, some bacteria and fungi . Such organisms may consume by various means, including predation, parasitization, and biodegradation </P> <P> Consumers are typically viewed as predatory animals such as the wolf and hyena . However, herbivorous animals and parasitic fungi are also consumers . Some carnivorous plants, like the Venus flytrap, are classified as both . So are omnivorous animals . </P> <P> Within an ecological food chain, Consumers are categorized into primary consumers, secondary consumers, and the tertiary consumers . Primary consumers are herbivores, feeding on plants . Secondary consumers, on the other hand, are carnivores, and prey on other animals . Omnivores, who feed on both plants and animals, can also be considered a secondary consumer . Tertiary consumers, sometimes also known as apex predators, are usually at the top of food chains, capable of feeding on secondary consumers and primary consumers . Tertiary consumers can be either fully carnivorous or omnivorous . Humans are one such example of a tertiary consumer . </P> <P> Consumers have important roles to play within an ecosystem such as balancing the food chain by keeping plant populations at a reasonable number . Without proper balance, an ecosystem can collapse and cause the decline of all affected species . This will lead to a severely disrupted ecosystem and a nonfunctional consumer web . </P>

Can an organism be both a primary and secondary consumer
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