All the solar energy trapped by green plants ultimately returns to the environment ? Comment on this statement.

Explanation

(i) The energy flow in an ecosystem in unidirectional i.e. prodcers trap the sun light and convert simple inorganic matter into complex organic matter by photosynthesis, This energy is transferred from producers to hubivores and ultimately to carnivores.
(ii) The usable energy goes on decreasing at each successive trophic level due to loss of energy as heat at each transformation of energy.
(iii) The entire trapped solar energy is returned back into the atmosphere i.e., with the death of any trophic level , it is acted upon by decomposers or scavangers and whole of energy is released back into the environment.