The apex consumer level of this ecosystem contains between 500 and 1000 kilograms of biomass. Which statement best describes the amount of biomass at the level of the primary producers?

A. much larger than 1000 kilograms, because a very high biomass of producers is required to support a smaller biomass of apex consumers.

B. between 500 and 1000 kilograms, because there are similar amounts of biomass at the producer and apex consumer levels of an ecosystem.

C. between 50 and 500 kilograms, because apex consumers have a moderately greater biomass than producers have.

D. less than 50 kilograms, because producers contain less than ten percent of the biomass of apex consumers.

Question

Biology

Kinley Hogan

18 August, 06:49

The apex consumer level of this ecosystem contains between 500 and 1000 kilograms of biomass. Which statement best describes the amount of biomass at the level of the primary producers?

A. much larger than 1000 kilograms, because a very high biomass of producers is required to support a smaller biomass of apex consumers.

B. between 500 and 1000 kilograms, because there are similar amounts of biomass at the producer and apex consumer levels of an ecosystem.

C. between 50 and 500 kilograms, because apex consumers have a moderately greater biomass than producers have.

D. less than 50 kilograms, because producers contain less than ten percent of the biomass of apex consumers.

+1

Answers (2)

Know the Answer?

Jaylen Kemp · Answer 1

Answer is A on Plato.

Explanation:

Just did the test.

Charity Galvan · Answer 2

Answer is option A.

When organisms eat other organisms, energy is transferred from one organisms to other. According to 10% law of energy transfer, only 10% of the available energy gets transferred to next trophic level of organisms. In this question apex or top consumer have 500 to 1000 kilograms of biomass. To have 500 to 1000 kilograms of biomass at apex level, the producers in food chain must have much lager biomass than 1000 kilograms to support biomass of 500 to 1000 kilograms at apex consumers. It is because most of the energy is lost as heat during transfer of energy from one trophic level to another.