4.7.4.3 Transfer of Biomass

Question 1

What does it mean that not all the food consumed by an animal is converted into biomass?

Answer 1

• biomass of the organism in level above another will always be higher
• not all the organism can be consumed and converted into biomass

Question 2

What do producers transfer?

Answer 2

• 1% of the incident energy from light for photosynthesis
• not all light lands on the green parts of plant

Question 3

How much biomass of each trophic level is transferred to the next?

Answer 3

• approximately 10%

Question 4

What are losses of biomass due to?

Answer 4

• not all biomass can be eaten
• not all of the biomass eaten is converted into biomass of the animal eating it

Question 5

Why can not all biomass be eaten?

Answer 5

• carnivores cannot generally eat bone, hooves, claws and teeth

Question 6

Why can not all of the biomass eaten be converted into biomass of the animal eating it?

Answer 6

• lots of glucose is used in respiration which produces carbon dioxide (waste)
• urea is a waste substance which is released in urine
• biomass consumed can be lost as faeces (herbivores do not have all enzymes to digest all material eaten so egest it)