In the Ocean, Why Would There Be a Smaller Biomass

question 90

Multiple Choice

In the ocean, why would there be a smaller biomass of large predators (for example, sharks and tuna) than of herbivorous animals (for example, some small fish and zooplankton) ?

• A) The ocean has too few hiding places for predators.
• B) Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient.
• C) Ocean herbivores have higher trophic efficiencies than land herbivores.
• D) Ocean herbivores are better adapted to moving over large distances than ocean predators.
• E) Predators have higher reproductive rates than herbivores.

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Definitions:

Macrophages

Immune cells that engulf and digest cellular debris, foreign substances, microbes, and cancer cells.

Phagocytosis

Phagocytosis is a cell's process of engulfing and digesting solid particles, such as bacteria, as a defense mechanism or for nutrient acquisition.

Protein Fibers

Long, filamentous proteins such as collagen or keratin that provide structural support and strength to cells and tissues.

Connective Tissue

Tissue that supports, connects, or separates different types of tissues and organs in the body, characterized by few cells and various fibers embedded in a large amount of extracellular matrix.