Explain why only 5 to 30% of the energy contained in a particular trophic level may be passed to the next trophic level

What will be an ideal response?


Structural elements of certain species are not easily digested, and thus the energy contained in those structures remains unavailable to the consumer. For example, lignin that provides support to woody plants—and fur, feathers and bones of animals—are not digested by the average animal. So, although energy went in to these structures, it will not be released to the consumer. Additionally, energy expended in respiration by a given organism cannot be passed on to the consumer.

Biology & Microbiology

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What term did E. O. Wilson coin for our innate appreciation of wild environments and living organisms?

A) bioremediation B) bioethics C) biophilia D) biophobia E) landscape ecology

Biology & Microbiology

The most successful (largest numbers of species)

forms of life that have ever evolved are the a. vertebrates. b. insects. c. humans. d. protozoans. e. mollusks.

Biology & Microbiology

Which of the following techniques involves hybridizing a cDNA sample to a chip containing thousands of single-stranded DNA sequences, allowing one to study the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously?

A) PCR B) Southern blot C) FISH D) Agarose gel electrophoresis E) DNA microarray

Biology & Microbiology

The most common reportable disease in the United States is

A) cystitis. B) lymphogranuloma venereum. C) gonorrhea. D) syphilis. E) candidiasis.

Biology & Microbiology