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

The correct answer is Both Statement I and Statement II are false.
Key PointsStatement I: "The movement of minerals in an ecosystem is unidirectional."

• This statement is incorrect.
• The movement of minerals (or nutrients) in an ecosystem is not unidirectional, it is cyclical.
• This is due to nutrient cycles, also known as biogeochemical cycles, such as the water cycle, nitrogen cycle, carbon cycle, and phosphorus cycle.

Statement II: "The movement of energy in an ecosystem is cyclic."

• This statement is also incorrect.
• The movement of energy in an ecosystem is unidirectional, not cyclic.
• Energy enters the ecosystem from the sun and is transformed by producers (like plants) into food energy.
• This energy then moves up the food chain from producers to consumers to decomposers and is eventually lost as heat.
• Unlike nutrients, energy is not recycled in an ecosystem; it flows in one direction.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

2. Both Statement I and Statement II are false