Why are there less secondary consumers in an ecosystem than producers? (1 point)

Question

• There isn't enough energy available to support more secondary consumers.
• Around 90% of energy from one trophic level to the next is available.
• More tertiary consumers will eat secondary consumers over producers.
• There is less land to use for habitat after the producers grow.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: There isn't enough energy available to support more secondary consumers.

In an ecosystem, energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels due to the inefficiencies in energy transfer (approximately 90% of the energy is lost as heat and through metabolic processes at each level). This results in fewer secondary consumers compared to primary producers.