Multiple choice

Which of the following characterizes the biomass in an ecosystem?

  1. The biomass of secondary consumers is usually greater than the biomass of primary consumers

  2. The biomass of producers is generally greater than the biomass of primary consumers

  3. The biomass of secondary producers is generally greater than the biomass of primary consumers

  4. No general statement can be made about relative biomass of different ecological groups
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D Correct answer
Explanation

Biomass distribution varies greatly across different ecosystems and depends on factors like productivity, energy transfer efficiency, and environmental conditions. In some ecosystems, producer biomass exceeds consumer biomass (terrestrial forests), while in others, consumer biomass can exceed producer biomass (inverted pyramids in aquatic systems). Therefore, no universal statement about relative biomass is valid.

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