Question

Trace the energy flow from sunlight through a food web to explain why there are typically fewer carnivores than herbivores in ecosystems.
Question 17 options:

Energy is lost at each trophic level, limiting energy available for carnivores

Carnivores choose to limit their population size to avoid overcompetition

Herbivores reproduce faster and more frequently than carnivorous animals

Carnivores require more territory and therefore naturally maintain smaller populations

Answer 1

Correct answer: "Energy is lost at each trophic level, limiting energy available for carnivores."

Explanation: sunlight → producers (plants) convert light to chemical energy, herbivores eat plants, carnivores eat herbivores. At each transfer much energy is lost as heat, used for metabolism, or left in undigested material, so only a small fraction (often ~10%) passes to the next level. Because less energy is available at higher trophic levels, there is less biomass and fewer individuals of carnivores than herbivores. The other options may play roles in specific cases but are not the primary, general explanation.