Given below are two statements:

Statement I: The movement of minerals in an ecosystem is unidirectional.
Statement II: The movement of energy in an ecosystem is cyclic.

In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

• Statement I is false: The movement of minerals in an ecosystem is not unidirectional. Instead, minerals are recycled in ecosystems. They move in cycles (e.g., nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle), where they are absorbed by producers, consumed by herbivores, and returned to the environment through decomposition.

• Statement II is false: The movement of energy in an ecosystem is not cyclic. Instead, energy flows in one direction. It is captured by producers, passed through consumers, and eventually lost as heat. Unlike minerals, energy does not cycle; it dissipates as it moves through the trophic levels.

Information Booster:

1. Minerals in Ecosystems: Elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon are constantly recycled in ecosystems, and this recycling process is crucial for ecosystem sustainability.
2. Energy Flow in Ecosystems: Energy flows from the sun to producers, then to herbivores, carnivores, and decomposers, with a significant portion of it being lost as heat at each level.