Multiple Choice
What happens to most of the energy as it moves throughout a food web?
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52. Ecosystems
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
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The base of an energy pyramid is always composed of _______________.
A
secondary consumers
B
producers
C
primary consumers
D
decomposers
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of an energy pyramid: An energy pyramid represents the flow of energy through different trophic levels in an ecosystem, starting from the base and moving upward.
Identify the role of producers: Producers, such as plants, algae, and photosynthetic bacteria, are organisms that can create their own food using sunlight (via photosynthesis) or chemical energy (via chemosynthesis). They form the base of the pyramid because they are the primary source of energy for all other organisms.
Differentiate between other trophic levels: Secondary consumers are organisms that eat primary consumers (herbivores), primary consumers are herbivores that eat producers, and decomposers break down dead organic matter but do not form the base of the pyramid.
Recognize why producers are at the base: Producers convert solar or chemical energy into usable energy in the form of organic compounds, which supports all other levels of the pyramid.
Conclude that the base of the energy pyramid is composed of producers, as they are the foundation of energy flow in ecosystems.
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