For Most Terrestrial Ecosystems,pyramids Composed of Species Abundances,biomass,and Energy Are

question 74

Multiple Choice

For most terrestrial ecosystems,pyramids composed of species abundances,biomass,and energy are similar in that they have a broad base and a narrow top.The primary reason for this pattern is that

• A)secondary consumers and top-level carnivores require far less energy than producers.
• B)at each step,energy is lost from the system because of the second law of thermodynamics.
• C)as matter passes through ecosystems,some of the matter is lost to the environment as heat.
• D)toxin accumulation in an animal's tissues limits the secondary consumers and top carnivores.
• E)top carnivores and secondary consumers have a more general diet than primary producers.

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Definitions:

One-tail

Refers to a type of statistical test where the critical area of a distribution is one-sided so that it tests for the possibility of the relationship in one direction.

Two-tail

Refers to a type of statistical test that considers both the lower and upper tails of the distribution to determine significance.

Kruskal-Wallis Test

A non-parametric method for testing whether samples originate from the same distribution, used when the ANOVA assumptions are not met.

Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test

A non-parametric test used to compare two independent groups and determine if there are differences in their population median values.