Question

Which of the following statements best characterizes the relationship between the law of conservation of energy and the energy pyramid depicted?

A. The energy pyramid supports the law of conservation of energy by illustrating the transfer of energy between trophic levels.
B. The energy pyramid contradicts the law of conservation of energy by showing a decrease in energy as it moves up the pyramid.
C. The energy pyramid is unrelated to the law of conservation of energy as it represents different principles of ecological dynamics.
D. The energy pyramid aligns with the law of conservation of energy by showcasing the constant total energy within an ecosystem.

Answer 1

The energy pyramid supports the law of conservation of energy by showing the transfer of energy across trophic levels, illustrating how energy is conserved overall in an ecosystem despite the decrease in energy at higher levels due to metabolic use and heat loss.

Step-by-step explanation:

The relationship between the law of conservation of energy and an energy pyramid is best characterized by the statement that the energy pyramid supports the law of conservation of energy by illustrating the transfer of energy between trophic levels. An energy pyramid depicts the amount of energy present at each trophic level and shows that, while energy decreases as it moves up the pyramid due to metabolic processes and heat loss, the total amount of energy within an ecosystem remains constant, aligning with the law of conservation of energy. The decrease in energy at higher trophic levels is the result of approximately 90 percent of the energy being used for life processes, such as metabolism, growth, and repair, or being lost to the environment as heat, with only about 10 percent being transferred to the next higher trophic level.