Food chains show energy transfer between organisms. The size of a food chain can vary, yet there is a limit to the number of levels that a food chain can reach. Why is there a limit to the number of levels that a food chain can reach?

Question

Plants are not infinite in number.
Producers are limited by consumers.
Carnivores are too large to be eaten.
Energy is lost at each trophic level.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: Energy is lost at each trophic level.

Energy is lost as heat at each trophic level in a food chain, mainly through respiration and waste production. This limits the amount of energy available to be transferred to higher trophic levels. As a result, there is not enough energy available to support many levels in a food chain. This is known as the 10% rule, where only about 10% of energy is transferred to the next level in a food chain. Due to this energy loss, there is a limit to the number of levels that a food chain can reach.