Question

These two graphs show the amount of food consumed by a single species of organism. One graph shows food intake during one week in the summer when the organism is very active. One graph shows food intake during one week in the winter, when the organism is mostly at rest. Which graph represents each time period? Why are the two graphs different? Explain your answer, citing multiple pieces of specific evidence from the graph. Also, explain how the graph provides evidence that food is important for organisms.

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

A food chain can be described as a series of energy dilutors, the energy that fails to reach the next level being dissipated as heat or movement. Most of the energy contained in the food of animal consumers is used by them during the processes of food collection, digestion and other essential metabolic activity. The overall efficiency of a food chain is therefore rather low and depends mainly on the number of different participants and thus on the length of the food chain. Generally, the greater the complexity of the food web the greater is the efficiency of the system as a whole. The main factors that determine the efficiency of food transfer are temperature, energy, and protein supply. Proteins form the major part of digestible algal and of animal cells; animals depend on receiving an adequate supply with their food because they are unable to synthesize some amino acids.