Which of the following is primarily responsible for limiting the number of trophic levels in most ecosystems?
A) Many primary and higher-order consumers are opportunistic feeders.
B) Decomposers compete with higher-order consumers for nutrients and energy.
C) Nutrient cycles involve both abiotic and biotic components of ecosystems.
D) Nutrient cycling rates tend to be limited by decomposition.
E) Energy transfer between tropic levels is in almost all cases less than 20% efficient.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient, with only about 10% of energy being transferred from one level to the next. This inefficiency limits the amount of energy available to support higher trophic levels, and therefore limits the number of trophic levels that can exist in most ecosystems.

Which of the Following Is Primarily Responsible for Limiting the Number