Question

Which of the following food chains directly depend on solar radiation?

• A. Grazing
• B. Detritus
• C. Predator
• D. All of these

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Grazing

The correct option is A.

Explanation for the correct option:

Food chain:

1. A food chain is a sequence of occurrences in an environment where one lifeform eats or consumes another organism, which is then ingested by a larger organism.
2. A food chain is the flow of essential micronutrients from one lifeform to the other at various trophic levels.

Solar radiation:

1. Except for the deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystem, solar radiation is a significant power source for all ecosystems.
2. However, less than half of a solar radiation incident on the earth's surface is photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)

Grazing food chain:

1. Solar radiation is required for the primary production of food by grasses, shrubs, leaves, and other plants that act as primary producers, as it aids in the photosynthesis process.
2. As a source of energy, the primary consumer is entirely reliant on the primary producer.
3. Because the grazing food chain starts with producers (plants), it then moves on to primary and secondary consumers; the grazing food chain is utterly reliant on solar energy.

Explanation for incorrect options:

Option B:

1. A food chain that starts with dead organic matter is referred to as a "detritus food chain."
2. Microorganisms decompose the dead organic substances. Detritivores or decomposers are lifeforms that feed on dead organisms or detritus.
3. They are not directly dependent on solar radiation.

Option C:

1. Predators are living things that attack and kill other living things to feed themselves
2. Prey are lifeforms that predators consume.
3. Carnivores and omnivores are both types of predators.
4. As these are dependent on other organisms they do not need solar radiation directly.

Final Answer: Grazing food chains directly depend on solar radiation.