Question

Assertion (A): Both DFC and GFC are connected at some levels.

Reason (R): Some organisms of DFC are prey to the GFC animals.

• A. Both the assertion and reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion
• B. Both the assertion and reason are true but the reason is not the correct explanation for the assertion
• C. The assertion is true but the reason is false
• D. Both assertion and the reason are false

Answer 1

The correct option is A Both the assertion and reason are true and the reason is the correct explanation of the assertion

A food chain refers to the sequence of transfer of energy in the form of food from organism to organism.

There are two types of food chains: detritus food chain (DFC) and grazing food chain (GFC).

• Detritus food chain: It is also known as DFC, begins with dead and decaying organic matter (detritus). It is composed of decomposers like bacteria and fungi (heterotrophic organisms) which meet their energy requirements by degrading dead organic matter (detritus).
• Grazing food chain: It is also known as GFC, begins with autotrophs like green plants, cyanobacteria, etc that are able to synthesise their own food and pass on the energy to herbivores and further to carnivores.

Detritus food chain may be connected with the grazing food chain at some levels.

For example: sparrows are part of the detritus food chain. Fox preying on sparrows connects the food chain of sparrow and fox. Thus, detritus food chain can be connected with the grazing food chain at some levels because some of the organisms of DFC can be prey to the GFC animals. These interconnections of food chains make it a food web.