A marine biologist studied the transfer of biomass in a controlled aquatic chamber over a period of 4 weeks. The chamber contained 1200 g of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) and a population of 40 marine amphipods (primary consumers).
The biologist recorded the total wet mass of both the giant kelp and the amphipods at the start and at the end of the 4-week period. The results are shown in the table below.
| Wet mass at start (g) | Wet mass at end (g) | |
|---|---|---|
| Giant kelp | 1200 | 250 |
| Amphipods | 80 | 190 |
Explain why the decrease in mass of the giant kelp is much greater than the increase in mass of the amphipods.
