Question

Food chains show energy transfer between organisms. The size of a food chain can vary, yet there is a limit to the number of levels that a food chain can reach. Why is there a limit to the number of levels that a food chain can reach?
Plants are not infinite in number.

Producers are limited by consumers.

Carnivores are too large to be eaten.

Energy is lost at each trophic level.

Answer 1

The correct answer is option Energy is lost at each trophic level.

In a Ecological pyramid, the energy is transferred from the producer to the consumer level. The ecological pyramid is triangular in  structure, this is because the number of organism on each successive trophic level is less than the preceding one or the one below it.

The reason of this shape of ecological pyramid is on subsequent trophic level, the amount of energy transferred is only 10%. The rest of the energy is dissipated in the environment in the form of heat. As only 10% of total energy is transferred to the subsequent level, The amount of energy reaching to tertiary consumer is very less that it cannot meet the energy demand of next level.

Answer 2

Energy is lost at each trophic level.