Question

Consider the following statements concerning food chains:
(i) Removal of $80\%$ tigers from an area resulted in greatly increased growth of vegetation
(ii) Removal of most of the carnivores resulted in an increased population of deers
(iii) The length of food chains is generally limited to 3-4 trophic levels due to energy loss
(iv) The length of food chains may vary from 2 to 8 trophic levels
Which of the above statements are correct?

• A. $\left(i\right),\left(iv\right)$
• B. $\left(i\right),\left(ii\right)$
• C. $\left(ii\right),\left(iii\right)$
• D. $\left(iii\right),\left(iv\right)$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $\left(ii\right),\left(iii\right)$

• The absence of a consumer, here carnivore, at a trophic level provides a free mating environment to the prey, here deer, leading to an increase in their population.
• Energy is dissipated at higher or successive trophic levels, therefore, the length of a food chain is generally limited to 3-4 levels.
  So the correct answer is option C.