Most of the energy in an ecosystem is
Last updated Jun 9, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option C —
Lost as heat
This concept is governed by the 10% Rule of Energy Transfer in ecology.
When energy moves from one trophic level to the next (for example, from plants to herbivores), only about 10% of the energy is stored as biomass and passed along to the consumer. The remaining 90% of the energy is lost to the environment.
Most of this lost energy is dissipated as heat as a byproduct of metabolic processes, such as cellular respiration, movement, growth, and reproduction.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
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