Multiple Choice
Sunlight is important in an ecosystem because it:
5
views
52. Ecosystems
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
Struggling with General Biology?
Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first videoMultiple Choice
In the context of energy flow through ecosystems, what role do plants primarily play?
A
They act as apex predators, regulating prey populations at the top of the food web.
B
They act as primary producers, converting light energy into chemical energy stored in organic molecules.
C
They act as decomposers, breaking down dead organic matter to release nutrients.
D
They act as primary consumers, obtaining energy by eating other organisms.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of energy flow in ecosystems, which describes how energy moves from one organism to another through feeding relationships.
Identify the role of plants in this energy flow. Plants are known for their ability to perform photosynthesis, a process that converts light energy from the sun into chemical energy stored in organic molecules like glucose.
Recognize that organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis are called primary producers or autotrophs.
Compare the roles listed: apex predators are at the top of the food chain and regulate prey populations, decomposers break down dead matter, and primary consumers eat other organisms to obtain energy.
Conclude that plants primarily act as primary producers because they form the base of the food web by producing energy-rich organic compounds that support other organisms.
5:28mWatch next
Master Gross Productive Energy vs. Assimilated Energy with a bite sized video explanation from Jason
Start learningRelated Videos
Related Practice
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems practice set
Problem sets built by lead tutorsExpert video explanations