The shorter food chains of coastal and upwelling areas generally are more efficient than longer open-ocean food chains.

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This is true. Shorter food chains have less energy lost between trophic levels, so less energy is required to support the same amount of biomass. Coastal and upwelling areas have more productivity, so they can support shorter food chains. In contrast, the open ocean has lower productivity, so food chains tend to be longer due to the need to access more sources of energy.

The Shorter Food Chains of Coastal and Upwelling Areas Generally