Why do all food chains start with plants and have a limited number of tropic levels?

Every food chain begin with plants or any photosynthetic organisms because these are producers produce food for all other organisms in the food chain.

Trophic levels in the food chains can’t be more than 4 or 5 because during energy transfer only 10% energy is transferred to the next level. Top consumer gets only small amount of energy. Hence, it will be difficult to sustain more than 5 trophic levels in a single food chain.


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