Which one of the following statements about resource acquisition by heterotrophs

Question

Which one of the following statements about resource acquisition by heterotrophs is incorrect?

a. the more specialized the heterotroph’s diet, the more narrow its choice of feeding location(s).

b. heterotrophs always select the prey type(s) that maximize energy intake.

c. heterotrophs feeding on prey types (eÆgƆripe fruit, pollen, birds' eggs) that are available only seasonally are likely either to take a wide variety of similar types of prey, or to switch to something totally different in some seasons.

d. the more specialized the heterotroph’s diet, the less likely it is to be constrained by competition for its preferred food(s).

e. diet choice by heterotrophs is often constrained by the presence and activities of organisms from higher trophic levels than their own.

Explanation / Answer

Option d is the correct answer.

If the diet will be specialized the heterotrophs will be dependent on their preffered food. Other organisms will also consume that particular food and thus they will compete for that particular food. Thus, statement under the option d is not correct.

If the diet of heterotrophs will be specializied, the heterotrophs will be restricted to only those areas where that specialized diets will be available and thus more specialized the heterotroph’s diet, the more narrow its choice of feeding location(s).

Heterotrophs always select the prey type that maximize energy intake to avoid extra effort in finding more and more pray.

Higher trophic level organisms may interfere with the diet of lower tropic level heterotrophs.

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