Question

Approximately 10% of the energy absorbed by one trophic level is transferred to the next successive level. The same number of calories are available at the primary producer level of each of these food chains. Food Chain

1: phytoplankton → zooplankton → smelt → trout → humans Food Chain
2: phytoplankton → smelt → humans How much energy is available to humans in Food Chain 2 as compared to the energy available to humans in Food Chain 1 ?
Hint: First decide if there would be more or less energy. That would eliminate some answers.

Answer 1

Answer: The food chain 2 will provide more energy to the human beings as compared to the food chain 1.

Step-by-step explanation:

The human beings will receive more energy because they are at the level of secondary consumers in case of the food chain 2.

But in case of food chain 1 the human beings are at the level of Quaternary consumers.

The higher is the tropic level less will be the energy. So the human beings will get more energy in the food chain 2 as compared to food chain 1.