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Question #45784
The Question
In a degraded ecosystem with severely limited secondary productivity, an apex predator heavily reliant on white muscle fibers for hunting faces a greater risk of starvation compared to one reliant on red muscle fibers. Which of the following correctly correlates the muscle physiology of the white-fiber predator with its ecological energetic bottleneck?
Options
- A.
White fibers depend on anaerobic glycolysis and fatigue rapidly, making frequent, unsuccessful explosive hunts energetically unsustainable under the constraints of the 10% energy transfer law.
- B.
White fibers possess high mitochondrial density but low myoglobin, causing the predator to deplete the limited assimilated energy of its trophic level too quickly.
- C.
White fibers rely primarily on the aerobic oxidation of lipids, which requires a higher gross primary productivity than the degraded ecosystem can provide.
- D.
White fibers possess an extensive sarcoplasmic reticulum adapted for sustained, low-intensity foraging, which fails when prey density drops below a critical threshold.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Comparative_Analysis
Sharpen your ability to evaluate multiple scenarios and distinguish between competing potential answers.
Concepts Behind This Question
Red_Muscle_Fibers|White_Muscle_Fibers|Secondary_Productivity
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize muscle fiber differences (red = aerobic, white = anaerobic) and ecosystem energy flow (10% law) in isolation.
The synthesis requires understanding how the high-power, low-endurance metabolic profile of white fibers creates a severe ecological disadvantage when prey scarcity demands high energetic efficiency and sustained effort.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Locomotion and Movement - Class 11 |
| Concept | Myofilament Protein Composition |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |