Final answer:
option c,Production efficiency (PE), specifically net production efficiency (NPE), is calculated as secondary production divided by assimilation, reflecting how efficiently a trophic level converts received energy into biomass.
Step-by-step explanation:
The calculation of Production Efficiency (PE) is essential in understanding energy flow within an ecosystem. PE, specifically Net Production Efficiency (NPE), measures how efficiently a trophic level converts the energy it receives from the previous level into its own biomass. The correct formula for calculating NPE is secondary production divided by assimilation (C. secondary production / assimilation). This reflects the energy content that trophic levels, such as primary consumers, incorporate into biomass after deducting the energy lost due to incomplete ingestion, respiration, and waste. For example, net primary productivity is the energy remaining in primary producers after considering respiration and heat loss, and this energy is then available to primary consumers.
Net production efficiency (NPE) is a measure of how efficiently organisms of a trophic level convert the energy they receive from the previous trophic level into biomass. It is calculated by dividing net consumer productivity by assimilation. Assimilation is the biomass of the present trophic level after accounting for energy lost due to incomplete ingestion, respiration, and waste.