Question

Which of the following is true concerning energy flow through an ecosystem’s food chain?
a.
Primary consumers collect their energy from the sun.
b.
The sun is the final receiver of energy in an ecosystem.
c.
Energy is lost at each successive energy level in the chain.
d.
Tertiary consumers account for the largest store of energy.

Answer 1

c. Energy is lost at each successive energy level in the chain.

Explanation: At each trophic transfer much energy is lost as heat and through metabolic processes (only a fraction—around 10%—is passed to the next level), so higher levels have less available energy than lower ones.