The most energy-efficient method to feed large human populations such as in China is to eat

Options

A. mostly rice and vegetables with little meat
B. large amounts of meat with few vegetables
C. large amounts of fish with little rice
D. None

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Energy Transfer in Food Chains:**
- In an ecosystem, energy is transferred from one trophic level to another. The primary producers (plants) convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. When these plants are consumed by herbivores (primary consumers), only a fraction of the energy is passed on.

2. **Energy Loss in Trophic Levels:**
- According to ecological principles, approximately 90% of the energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolic processes, heat, and waste. This means that only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level. For example, if a plant has 100 units of energy, the herbivore that eats it will only receive about 10 units.

3. **Direct vs. Indirect Food Chains:**
- A direct food chain (e.g., plants to humans) is more energy-efficient than an indirect food chain (e.g., plants to insects to snakes to hawks to humans). In the indirect chain, energy is lost at each step, leading to a significant reduction in the energy available to humans.

4. **Evaluating Food Options:**
- The question asks for the most energy-efficient method to feed large populations. The options provided include:
- A) Mostly rice and vegetables with little meat.
- B) Large amounts of meat with few vegetables.
- C) Large amounts of fish with little rice.
- Option A is the most energy-efficient as it relies primarily on plant-based foods (rice and vegetables), which have a higher energy conversion efficiency.

5. **Conclusion:**
- Therefore, the most energy-efficient method to feed large human populations, such as in China, is to consume mostly rice and vegetables with little meat.

**Final Answer:**
- The most energy-efficient method to feed large human populations such as in China is to eat mostly rice and vegetables with little meat.

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