Why Are There So Few Ecosystems with More Than Four

question 16

Multiple Choice

Why are there so few ecosystems with more than four levels of consumers?

• A)because biomass decreases by about 90% at each trophic level moving up
• B)because top consumers compete with and kill each other with increasing population size
• C)because consumers at these highest trophic levels typically form social groups that stop reproducing at high densities
• D)because predators at the highest trophic levels simply are not intelligent enough to hunt other top predators

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Definitions:

Fixed Overhead

Regular, unchanging costs associated with running a business, such as rent, salaries, and utilities, that do not fluctuate with production volume.

Work in Process

Refers to the cost of the unfinished goods in the manufacturing process including labor, material, and overhead.

Materials Price Variance

The difference between the actual cost of direct materials and the standard cost multiplied by the actual quantity purchased or used.

Raw Materials

Basic materials used in the production or manufacturing process, before being transformed into finished goods.