Test of the energetic hypothesis for the restriction of food chain length.
Researchers manipulated the productivity of tree–hole communities in Queensland, Australia,
by providing leaf litter input at three levels:
high litter input = natural (control) rate of litter fall; medium = 1 / 10 natural rate; and low = 1 / 100 natural rate.
Reducing energy input reduced food chain length, a result consistent with the energetic hypothesis.