Question

Why are shorter food chains considered more energy-efficient according to the principle of efficiency?

Options

• Because less energy is wasted across fewer transfers

• Because they produce more biomass at each level

• Because decomposers are more active in short chains

• Because they contain more diverse organisms

Answer 1

The principle of efficiency dictates that shorter food chains are more stable and energy-efficient because energy is lost at each trophic transfer. Fewer transfers mean less overall energy loss, making shorter chains more efficient for supporting larger populations at higher trophic levels.