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This is a typical coastal Maine food web. The greatest amount of energy is available to the lower levels and thus, they can
support the largest number of organisms. Using the model, what can you infer about the energy available to different trophic
levels? Choose ALL that apply.
A
Primary producers contain the greatest biomass.
B
Primary producers have the greatest amount of energy available.
C
Bald eagles would have 0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton.
D
10% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the bivalves.
E
0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the sea ducks.

Verified Answer :

GinnyAnswer

In a typical ecological energy pyramid, energy decreases as you move up the trophic levels, with the greatest amount of energy available at the base and diminishing at higher levels.

Let's analyze each option:

A. Primary producers contain the greatest biomass.
- This statement is generally true in most ecosystems. Primary producers, such as phytoplankton in a coastal Maine food web, form the base of the food web and have the greatest biomass because they convert sunlight into energy through photosynthesis.

B. Primary producers have the greatest amount of energy available.
- This statement is also true. Primary producers capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy, which forms the basis of the energy supply for the entire food web.

C. Bald eagles would have 0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton.
- This statement is plausible. At each trophic level, energy is roughly reduced by 90% due to the 10% rule, which states that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next. If bald eagles are several trophic levels above phytoplankton, the amount of energy available to them from the phytoplankton would be greatly reduced, possibly to about 0.1% due to cumulative energy loss across multiple levels.

D. 10% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the bivalves.
- This statement aligns with the 10% rule. If bivalves are directly consuming phytoplankton, they would receive approximately 10% of the energy initially captured by the phytoplankton.

E. 0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the sea ducks.
- This statement is also plausible. Similar to the reasoning in option C, sea ducks are higher up in the trophic levels. Hence, the energy available to them from the phytoplankton would be significantly reduced, typically around 0.1% due to the successive energy loss from multiple levels.

Therefore, the correct options are:
- A. Primary producers contain the greatest biomass.
- B. Primary producers have the greatest amount of energy available.
- C. Bald eagles would have 0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton.
- D. 10% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the bivalves.
- E. 0.1% of the energy of the phytoplankton is available to the sea ducks.

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