The amount of life that an ecosystem can support is determined primarily by the:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The number of producers and their efficiency determines the amount of energy available for the rest of the ecosystem. Producers are the foundation of the food chain and the more efficiently they can convert sunlight into energy, the more energy is available for consumers. The number of heterotrophs (consumers) and their efficiency do play a role, but it ultimately depends on the availability of energy from the producers. Chemoautotrophs, while important in some ecosystems, are not as prevalent as photoautotrophs (producers that use sunlight for energy).

The Amount of Life That an Ecosystem Can Support Is