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Which of the following is primarily responsible for limiting the number of trophic levels in most ecosystems? A. Many primary and higher-order consumers are opportunistic feeders. B. Nutrient cycling rates tend to be limited most by decomposition. C. Decomposers compete with higher-order consumers for nutrients and energy. D. Energy transfer between trophic levels is usually less than 20 percent efficient. E. Nutrient cycles involve both abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems.

Sagot :

Energy transfer between trophic levels is usually less than 20 percent efficient.

What is primarily responsible for limiting the number of trophic levels ?

Trophic levels are the different levels of feeding in a food chain or web. There are typically no more than four trophic levels due to the fact that as levels increase, biomass and energy levels decrease. Higher-order consumers and decomposers compete for nutrients and energy.

A trophic level's food supply is typically only transferred to the following level by 10%. Very little usable energy is left after four trophic levels because the amount of available energy decreases as we ascend the tropics. The food chain therefore only has three to four tropical levels.

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