Question

What statement holds true for the amount of matter in a successful food web? A) Amount of matter contained in the producers and consumers should be equal. B) Amount of matter produced by the producers should be more than that of the consumers. C) Amount of matter contained in the consumers should be more than that of the producers. D) Amount of matter produced by the producers should be negligible when compared to the consumers.

Answer 1

Answer: B. Amount of matter produced by the producers should be more than that of the consumers.

Food web defines a interconnection between different food chains and transfer of energy at each trophic level. According to the ten percent law 10% energy is lost from each trophic level. At the first trophic  level there are producers. Producers occupy the only one level in the trophic levels the rest is occupied by consumers this shows the category of consumer is more than producer. Therefore, for successful food web food availability should be more at initial trophic level hence amount of matter produced by the producers should be more than that of the consumer.

Answer 2

Amount of matter produced by the producers should be more than that of the consumers because matter and energy are lost with each successive step of the food chain. Therefore, for a food web to be functional and successful, the total amount matter produced by the producers be more than that of the consumers they support.