In which of the following communities would one expect to see more biomass in primary consumers than in primary producers?
A) Forest
B) Grassland
C) Open ocean
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In open ocean ecosystems, the phytoplankton (primary producers) are often limited by nutrients and light, resulting in lower biomass. However, primary consumers such as zooplankton can still thrive and have higher biomass due to their ability to efficiently filter feed on the abundant phytoplankton. In contrast, in forest and grassland ecosystems, the primary producers (plants) typically have higher biomass than the primary consumers (herbivores).

In Which of the Following Communities Would One Expect to See