Refer to the Figure

question 15

Multiple Choice

Refer to the figure. In these pyramid diagrams of the open ocean ecosystem, energy flow of primary producers is very large, while their biomass is very small.What does this suggest about the ocean ecosystem?

• A) It is dying because primary producer biomass is too small to support higher-level consumers.
• B) Producers are tiny and reproduce rapidly, so even though they maintain a small biomass, they can support a large biomass of primary consumers.
• C) Producers are mostly large and therefore can support a large biomass of primary producers.
• D) Trophic efficiencies are very low, so not much primary producer biomass can be supported.
• E) Primary producers must work very hard to provide enough food for consumers; they have little energy left over to build up biomass.

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