From the perspective of energy, which of the following is the most efficient trophic level?
A) primary producer
B) primary consumer
C) secondary consumer
D) tertiary consumer

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The primary producer, such as plants or algae, converts sunlight energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. This process has a high conversion efficiency, meaning most of the energy is retained within the organism, giving it an efficiency of around 10%. In contrast, each successive trophic level, like primary consumers (herbivores), secondary consumers (carnivores), and tertiary consumers (top predators), has a lower efficiency because much of the energy is lost as heat during metabolic processes. As a result, the energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is usually only about 10%. Therefore, primary producers are the most efficient trophic level when energy is considered.

From the Perspective of Energy, Which of the Following Is