A secondary consumer is an organism that primarily eats primary consumers, which are typically herbivores. In a food chain or food web, secondary consumers are often classified as carnivores or, in some cases, omnivores because they may also consume plants. They play a critical role in transferring energy from primary producers through the food web, contributing to the regulation of populations within an ecosystem. The balance of secondary consumers affects the dynamics of the entire ecosystem, including the populations of primary consumers and producers.