AP Biologyeasymcq1 pt
Why do most food chains have only four or five trophic levels?
A.Too little energy remains to support another level
B.Predators refuse to eat higher levels
C.Organisms cannot form longer chains
D.Nutrients run out at level five
Explanation
Core Concept
Because only a fraction of energy at one trophic level is converted into biomass available to the next, progressively less energy is available to support populations at higher levels. This energetic constraint helps explain why long food chains are uncommon. The exact number of trophic levels is not universally fixed at four or five and does not follow from an exact 90% loss at every transfer.
Correct Answer
AToo little energy remains to support another level
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