Question

1. based on the representations in the figures, explain why the population of phytoplankton is so large compared to that of the orca: phytoplankton are much smaller than orcas, but the total weight of their entire populations are actually the same, which is true of all animals in this ecosystem phytoplankton are primary producers, and have access to almost unlimited energy in the form of sunlight. consumers, like orcas, always outnumber producers, like phytoplankton, in an ecosystem phytoplankton have been around for millions of years longer than orcas; in time, the orca population will match the phytoplankton population

Explanation:

• Phytoplankton are primary producers. In an ecosystem, energy flows from producers to consumers. Producers like phytoplankton convert sunlight (a nearly unlimited energy source in aquatic ecosystems where they are abundant) into chemical energy through photosynthesis.
• Orcas are consumers (top - level consumers in some cases). Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient (only about 10% of energy is passed from one trophic level to the next). So, a large number of phytoplankton (producers) are needed to support a relatively small number of orcas (consumers) to maintain the energy balance in the ecosystem.
• The first option is incorrect because the total weight (biomass) of phytoplankton is usually much larger than that of orcas in an ecosystem. The third option is wrong as producers (like phytoplankton) generally outnumber consumers (like orcas) in terms of population size in a healthy ecosystem. The fourth option is also incorrect as the time of existence of a species does not directly determine its current population size relative to another species in an ecosystem.

Answer:

Phytoplankton are primary producers, and have access to almost unlimited energy in the form of sunlight.