If the flow of energy in an arctic ecosystem goes through a simple food chain, perhaps involving humans, moving from phytoplankton to zooplankton to fish to seals to polar bears, then which of the following could be true?
A) Polar bears can provide more food for humans than seals can.
B) The total biomass of the fish is lower than that of the seals.
C) Seal meat probably contains the highest concentrations of fat-soluble toxins.
D) Seal populations are larger than fish populations.
E) The fish can potentially provide more food for humans than the seal meat can.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The flow of energy in the food chain suggests that there are more fish than seals, and therefore, potentially more food for humans. The other choices are incorrect based on the given information. Polar bears are at the top of the food chain and obtain their energy from seals, not the other way around, making choice A incorrect. The total biomass of the fish is not given, making choice B impossible to confirm. While it is likely that seals contain high levels of fat-soluble toxins due to their diet, the food chain does not offer enough information to confirm choice C. The food chain suggests that there are more fish than seals, making choice D incorrect.

If the Flow of Energy in an Arctic Ecosystem Goes