The tropic level of zooplankton living in an aquatic ecosystem will be

Options

A. `T_1`
B. `T_2`
C. `T_3`
D. `T_4`

Answer

To determine the trophic level of zooplankton in an aquatic ecosystem, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand Trophic Levels**:
- Trophic levels represent the position of an organism in a food chain. They are categorized as producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

2. **Identify Producers**:
- In an aquatic ecosystem, phytoplankton are the primary producers. They occupy the first trophic level (T1) because they produce energy through photosynthesis.

3. **Identify Primary Consumers**:
- Zooplankton feed on phytoplankton. Since they consume the primary producers, they are classified as primary consumers.

4. **Determine the Trophic Level of Zooplankton**:
- As primary consumers, zooplankton occupy the second trophic level (T2) in the aquatic food chain.

5. **Identify Secondary Consumers**:
- The organisms that feed on zooplankton, such as small fish, are classified as secondary consumers and occupy the third trophic level (T3).

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the trophic level of zooplankton in an aquatic ecosystem is T2.

### Final Answer:
The trophic level of zooplankton living in an aquatic ecosystem is T2.

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