Trófikus

Trófikus is an adjective used in biology to denote things related to nourishment or feeding. The term derives from Greek trophe, nourishment, with the suffix -ikus forming adjectives in several languages. In ecology, trophic describes aspects of the energy flow and feeding relationships in ecosystems. Trophic levels categorize organisms by their primary source of energy and nutrients: producers (autotrophs), primary consumers (herbivores), secondary and higher-order consumers (carnivores and omnivores), and detritivores/decomposers. Energy transfers between levels are typically inefficient, with only a portion of assimilated energy passing to the next level, leading to a pyramidal distribution of biomass or energy.

Trophic interactions underpin food webs and influence ecosystem structure, stability, and responses to disturbance. Phenomena such as trophic cascades occur when changes at one level propagate through the network, affecting distant populations. The concept extends to aquatic and terrestrial systems and is central to studies of conservation, fisheries, and sustainable agriculture. In applied contexts, trophic analysis informs management decisions, such as optimizing feed use in aquaculture or assessing the impact of species loss on ecosystem services.

Some languages use the form 'trófikus' or variants to express this idea, with usage in academic texts, textbooks, and environmental reporting. The related terms include trophic level, trophic pyramid, trophic efficiency, and trophic cascade.