Question

Which of the following is true about the efficiency of energy transfer in an ecosystem?
a.
The more energy the organism requires, the more efficient the energy transfer.
b.
All energy transfers have the same efficiencies.
c.
The less energy the organism requires, the more efficient the energy transfer.
d.
The most efficient energy transfers are in large, warm-blooded animals.


Please select the best answer from the choices provided

A
B
C
D

Answer 1

C

Organisms with lower metabolic (energy) requirements lose less energy as heat and convert a greater proportion of intake into biomass, so energy transfers tend to be more efficient for such organisms (e.g., ectotherms vs. large endotherms).