What Eats What
Table 1 below classifies organisms by the source of their energy. Consumers that eat only producers are called herbivores, or plant eaters. Rabbits are herbivores and so are cows, sheep, deer, grass- hoppers, and many other animals. Consumers, such as lions and hawks, that eat only other consumers are called carnivores, or flesh eaters. You already know that humans are consumers, but what kind of consumers are we? Because most humans eat both plants and animals, we are called omnivores, or eaters of all. Bears, pigs, and cockroaches are other examples of omnivores. Some consumers get their food by breaking down dead organisms and are called decomposers. Bacteria and fungi are examples of decomposers. The decomposers allow the nutrients in the rotting material to return to the soil, water, and air.