Energy flows through an ecosystem along an idealized unidirectional pathway called a
A) food web.
B) niche order.
C) trophic cascade.
D) food chain.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A food chain represents the transfer of energy from one organism to another in a linear fashion. The flow of energy starts from the primary producers and moves up to the top predator. Therefore, the energy flow through an ecosystem can be represented best by a food chain. Food webs, niche order, and trophic cascades are also important concepts in ecology but do not represent the unidirectional flow of energy as clearly as a food chain does.

Energy Flows Through an Ecosystem Along an Idealized Unidirectional Pathway