How energy transfer differs from each trophic level and relationship between biomass and usable energy in an ecosystem?

Energy transfer in an ecosystem occurs through trophic levels, which represent different feeding positions or energy levels within a food chain. Each trophic level has a distinct relationship with energy transfer and biomass:

Producers (autotrophs): Producers, such as plants or photosynthetic organisms, convert sunlight and inorganic nutrients into organic compounds through photosynthesis. They capture solar energy and store it in the form of biomass. The energy transfer from sunlight to the producer is highly efficient, typically around 1-2% of the available solar energy is converted into chemical energy.

Primary consumers (herbivores): Primary consumers are herbivores that feed directly on producers. They consume plant material and extract energy from the organic compounds stored in the biomass. The energy transfer from the producer to the primary consumer is less efficient, usually ranging from 10-20% of the available energy in the biomass.

Secondary consumers (carnivores/omnivores): Secondary consumers are carnivores or omnivores that feed on primary consumers. They obtain energy by consuming other animals. The energy transfer from primary consumers to secondary consumers is further reduced, typically around 10% of the available energy in the biomass.

Tertiary consumers (carnivores/omnivores): Tertiary consumers are carnivores or omnivores that feed on other secondary consumers. They occupy the highest trophic level in the food chain. The energy transfer from secondary consumers to tertiary consumers is even lower, generally around 10% of the available energy in the biomass.

As energy moves through each trophic level, a significant amount is lost as heat during metabolic processes, and only a fraction is converted into biomass or usable energy. This phenomenon is known as the 10% rule or ecological efficiency. It means that approximately 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level, while the remaining energy is lost as waste heat.

The relationship between biomass and usable energy in an ecosystem is influenced by the efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels. As mentioned earlier, energy transfer is less efficient as we move up the food chain. Therefore, the biomass of higher trophic levels tends to be lower compared to the biomass of lower trophic levels.

For example, in a forest ecosystem, the producers (plants) have the highest biomass because they capture the most energy from sunlight. As we move to primary consumers (herbivores), their biomass is lower than the producers since they only receive a fraction of the energy stored in plants. Similarly, the biomass of secondary consumers (carnivores) is lower than primary consumers due to further energy loss. This pattern continues for tertiary consumers and beyond.

Overall, the biomass and usable energy in an ecosystem decrease as we move up the food chain due to the inefficiencies in energy transfer and the 10% rule. This relationship highlights the importance of maintaining a balanced and diverse ecosystem to support the energy needs of higher trophic levels.

Rk Naresh

Biomass contains energy first derived from the sun: Plants absorb the sun's energy through photosynthesis, and convert carbon dioxide and water into nutrients. The energy from these organisms can be transformed into usable energy through direct and indirect means. Since matter and energy are directionally proportional the producer level has the greatest biomass and the tertiary consumers have the least biomass. Biomass is directly proportional to net primary productivity. This is because net primary productivity measures the organic material stored by the plant after metabolism has occurs. This means that if primary productivity is high biomass will also be high and the reverse is also true. Biomass decreases with each trophic level. There is always more biomass in lower trophic levels than in higher ones. Because biomass decreases with each trophic level, there are always more autotrophs than herbivores in a healthy food web. In natural systems, both energy and matter are conserved within a system. This means that energy and matter can change forms but cannot be created or destroyed. Energy and matter are often cycled within a system, and different forms of matter and energy are able to interact.Energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels because energy is lost as metabolic heat when the organisms from one trophic level are consumed by organisms from the next level. Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) measures the amount of energy that is transferred between trophic levels. Organisms tend to be larger in size at higher trophic levels, but their smaller numbers result in less biomass. Biomass is the total mass of organisms at a trophic level. Plants use energy for respiration and biomass. Plants use some of the absorbed energy for respiration, and then use the rest for biomass. Primary consumers do not take up all the energy from plants. Primary consumers eat the plant, so energy is passed on to the next trophic level.

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