Question

Food chains with an even number of trophic levels should have low plant biomass because plants are limited by herbivores.

A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Food chains with an even number of trophic levels are likely to have low plant biomass because plants are limited by herbivores. As we move up the trophic levels, there is less energy available to support populations, resulting in a decrease in biomass from lower to higher trophic levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

Food chains with an even number of trophic levels are likely to have low plant biomass because plants are limited by herbivores.

This is because as we move up the trophic levels, there is less energy available to support populations. Energy is lost at each trophic level due to the second law of thermodynamics, resulting in a decrease in biomass from lower to higher trophic levels.

For example, in an ecosystem with four trophic levels, plants at the first level have the highest biomass, but as we move up to the herbivores, carnivores, and top carnivores, the biomass decreases.