Glossary

Trophic structure describes how energy moves through living systems — from plants to insects to birds and larger wildlife. It explains who eats whom and how native plants form the foundation of healthy ecosystems.

Producers – Native plants such as Wild Ginger, Trillium, and Columbine form the foundation of the trophic structure. Through photosynthesis, they turn sunlight into the leaves, flowers, pollen, and nectar that insects depend on — setting the entire food web in motion.

Primary Consumers – Insects and other herbivores, including caterpillars, native bees, and deer, feed directly on plants; they in turn become essential food for birds and other wildlife.

Secondary Consumers – Predators such as spiders, birds, and frogs feed on insects and other herbivores, helping regulate populations while passing energy up the food web to larger predators.

Tertiary Consumers – Top predators such as hawks and foxes feed on other animals higher in the food web, completing the upper layers of trophic structure.

Each layer depends on the one below it. When native plants disappear, trophic structure weakens. When we protect existing natives and expand habitat, we rebuild trophic structure from the ground up — restoring soil life, supporting nesting birds, and strengthening the entire food web.

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