Question

Which level in the food chain has maximum energy?
A. Third trophic level
B. Decomposers
C. Herbivores
D. First trophic level

Answer 1

Hint: A food chain is a sequence which shows the succession of organisms of eating and being eaten. The position of an organism in the food web/chain is called the trophic level. The flow of energy takes places from one trophic level to the other.

Complete Answer:
The flow or energy takes place in a food chain from producers to the predators. Only some part of the energy is transferred to the next level, rest is used up in the metabolic process and to the environment.

There are 4 trophic levels in an ecosystem in which the energy from the sun flows.
1. First trophic level: It comprises producers which can prepare their own food using sunlight. This level has the maximum energy. Example- plants.
2. Second trophic level: It comprises herbivores which feed on plants for energy. It has the second highest level of energy.
3. Third trophic level: It comprises carnivores which feed on the herbivores. The flow of energy gradually decreases as the level increases.
4. Fourth trophic level: It comprises decomposers which decompose the dead remains of animals.

The energy is maximum at the producers’ i.e. trophic level 1. The correct answer is (D).

Note: The lowest trophic level is occupied by the autotrophs which can convert the solar energy into chemical energy by the process of photosynthesis. The concept of trophic level was laid by Raymond Lindeman.