Which of the Following is True About the Length of Food

Question

Which of the following is true about the length of food chains? 
A) Food chains can support up to 10 trophic levels.
B) An ecosystem with a high-enough number of species will feature a limitless length of food chain.
C) Energy lost as heat at each trophic level limits the length of food chains.
D) The extinction of a species in a food chain will affect only the species directly preying upon it.
E) Food chains are shorter in stable habitats.

Accepted Answer

Energy is lost as heat at each trophic level, and this limits the amount of energy that is available for the next level. As a result, food chains are typically limited to four or five trophic levels, although some can support up to ten. This means that choice A is incorrect. While it is true that an ecosystem with a high number of species may have a longer food chain, there is still a limit to how long that chain can be due to energy loss. Therefore, choice B is also incorrect. The extinction of a species in a food chain can have a significant impact on other species in the chain, as it can disrupt the flow of energy and resources. This makes choice D incorrect. Finally, while it may be true that food chains are shorter in stable habitats, this is not necessarily a universal rule, so choice E is incorrect.