Food chains are sometimes short because ________.
A) only a single species of herbivore feeds on each plant species
B) local extinction of a species causes extinction of the other species in its food chain
C) the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next higher level is inefficient
D) most producers are inedible

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next is inefficient, with a significant amount of energy lost at each step, primarily as heat. This inefficiency limits the length of food chains because there is not enough energy to support many trophic levels.

Food Chains Are Sometimes Short Because ________