Impact of Anaerobic Respiration on ATP Yields

In biochemistry, bioenergetics refers to the study of energy flow through living systems and the biochemical processes involved in converting energy from one form to another. One of the key concepts in bioenergetics is the role of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as the primary energy currency of the cell. Cellular respiration involves a series of metabolic pathways that convert glucose into ATP, with glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation being the major stages.

Consider the following scenario: In a lab experiment, a researcher investigates the efficiency of ATP production under varying conditions of electron transport chain activity. The researcher finds that when oxygen availability is low, anaerobic respiration occurs instead of aerobic respiration. This shift in metabolic pathways significantly affects the amount of ATP produced. Given this context, which statement below best describes the impact of anaerobic respiration on ATP yields compared to aerobic respiration?