A trophic level refers to the position an organism occupies in a food chain or food web, illustrating its role in energy transfer. These levels categorize organisms based on their feeding habits. The primary level consists of producers, primarily plants, that synthesize energy through photosynthesis. The next tier encompasses herbivores or primary consumers that feed on producers, followed by carnivores or secondary and tertiary consumers at higher levels. Each trophic level reflects the efficiency of energy transfer, with significant energy loss occurring between levels, typically around 90%, highlighting the importance of producers in ecological systems.