Energy Transfer through Ecosystems

Question 1

What are the 4 trophic levels?

Answer 1

sun - producer - primary consumer - secondary consumer

Question 2

What is the energy transfer from the sun to producer/

Answer 2

2% of suns energy lands on a plant
will be converted into energy that the plant can use - which is low -
maybe bc of wrong
wavelength of light, light strikes non-photosynthetic region e.g. light reflected, lost as heat

Question 3

What is the energy transfer from producer to primary consumer?

Answer 3

10%
low 
 this is for respiratory loss 
plants use energy for metabolism  e.g. active transport
lost as heat 
not all plant is eaten e.g. root 
some food is not digested e.g. faeces

Question 4

What is the energy transfer from primary consumer to secondary consumer?

Answer 4

10-15%

it is low

• respiratory loss
• primary consumer has used some of its energy for metabolism e.g. muscle contraction
• lost as heat
• not all of the animal is eaten e.g. bones / teeth
• some of the food is not digested e.g. faeces

Question 5

What is energy transfer efficiency low?

Answer 5

especially low for - old animals (stopped growing), herbivores (more poo),
more homeotherms and endotherms (warm blooded)