Answer the following questions in relation to food chains - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 2 - 2013
Question 2
Answer the following questions in relation to food chains.
(a) Where in a food chain are primary producers found?
(b) What term is used to describe organisms tha... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Answer the following questions in relation to food chains - Leaving Cert Biology - Question 2 - 2013
Step 1
Where in a food chain are primary producers found?
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Answer
Primary producers are typically found at the first trophic level in a food chain. They are the organisms that produce their own energy, usually through photosynthesis.
Step 2
What term is used to describe organisms that feed on primary producers?
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Answer
Organisms that feed on primary producers are referred to as primary consumers or herbivores.
Step 3
Why are most food chains short (i.e. only consist of a few trophic levels)?
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Answer
Most food chains are short due to the large energy loss that occurs from one trophic level to the next. This loss restricts the number of levels that can be sustained.
Step 4
What deduction may be made if the organisms at the start of the chain are less numerous than those that feed upon them?
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Answer
If the organisms at the start of the chain (typically producers) are less numerous, it can be deduced that these are larger organisms or that they may be primary consumers serving as parasites.
Step 5
Can a parasite be the first member of a food chain?
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No, a parasite cannot be the first member of a food chain.
Step 6
Explain your answer.
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Answer
Parasites are typically consumers, as they rely on other organisms for their energy and cannot produce their own. Thus, they cannot occupy the position of primary producers in a food chain.
Step 7
In which form do you think most energy is lost from food chains?
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Most energy is lost from food chains in the form of heat.
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