What do we call an organism that survives by eating producers or other consumers in its ecosystem?

An organism that survives by eating producers or other consumers is classified as a consumer. Consumers play a crucial role in an ecosystem by obtaining energy and nutrients necessary for their survival from other organisms. They can be further categorized based on their diets: some consumers eat only plants (herbivores), while others may consume other animals (carnivores) or a combination of both (omnivores).

The term "producers" refers to organisms, typically plants and certain types of algae, that create their own food through processes like photosynthesis. Decomposers, such as fungi and bacteria, break down dead organic matter, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem but do not consume living organisms in the same way consumers do. Herbivores are a specific subset of consumers that specifically eat plants. Thus, classifying the organism as a consumer encompasses all the various feeding behaviors, highlighting its integral role within the food web.