Most natural food chains are only four or five links long. The number of trophic levels is limited because
A) there are more predators than herbivores.
B) the efficiency in the conversion of food eaten at each level is very low, about 10 percent.
C) winter kills off most insects and stops the food chains.
D) space in the ecosystem is limited and so very few larger organisms can live there.
E) nutrients stop cycling after the fourth or fifth trophic level.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The efficiency in the conversion of food eaten at each level is very low, about 10 percent. This means that only 10 percent of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next, which limits the number of trophic levels that can be supported in a food chain. As a result, most natural food chains are only four or five links long.

Most Natural Food Chains Are Only Four or Five Links