Question

Why are biomass residence times for producers much longer in forest ecosystems than in aquatic phytoplankton-based ecosystems?

a. Plants in forest ecosystems live much longer than the rapidly consumed phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems.
b. The ecological efficiency of forest producers is much higher than the ecological efficiency of aquatic producers.
c. Most of the energy is found in the producers of forest ecosystems but in the consumers of aquatic ecosystems.
d. Forest plants remain in one location for their lifetime, whereas phytoplankton drift with the water currents.

Answer 1

Biomass residence times for producers are longer in forest ecosystems compared to aquatic phytoplankton-based ecosystems due to longer lifespan of forest plants, higher ecological efficiency, higher biomass of producers in forests, and immobility of forest plants.

Step-by-step explanation:

The biomass residence times for producers are longer in forest ecosystems compared to aquatic phytoplankton-based ecosystems for several reasons:

1. Plants in forest ecosystems live much longer than rapidly consumed phytoplankton in aquatic ecosystems. Forest plants have longer lifespans and can live for many years, while phytoplankton have short lifespans and are rapidly consumed by organisms in the aquatic ecosystem.
2. The ecological efficiency of forest producers is higher than the ecological efficiency of aquatic producers. This means that a higher percentage of energy captured by forest producers is transferred to higher trophic levels, resulting in longer residence times for forest producers.
3. Most of the energy is found in the producers of forest ecosystems, whereas in aquatic ecosystems, the energy is primarily found in the consumers. This means that forest producers have a higher biomass and therefore longer residence times.
4. Forest plants remain in one location for their lifetime, whereas phytoplankton can drift with water currents. This immobility of forest plants contributes to longer residence times.