Question

Which of the following depicts the pattern of flow of energy and materials through an ecosystem?

Options

• Food chain

• Pyramid of numbers

• Pyramid of biomass

• None of these

Answer 1

Food chain

Explanation:

The food chain depicts the pattern of energy and material flow through an ecosystem. Energy from the sun enters the ecosystem through producers (plants) and flows through consumers and decomposers in a linear sequence. At each trophic level, energy is used for metabolic activities, and a significant amount is lost as heat, making energy flow a one-way, non-cyclic process.