Food Chains

Question 1

Gross primary production

Answer 1

Total quantity of chemical energy stored in plant biomass, in a given area or volume, in a given time

Question 2

Net primary productivity

Answer 2

The chemical energy store which is left when energy losses to respiration have been taken into account
Gross primary production - respiratory losses

Question 3

Consumers

Answer 3

Slightly more efficient and a low percentage transferred at each stage due to: some of the organism not consumed, some parts not fully digested, some lost in excretory materials, heat from respiration

Question 4

Net primary production

Answer 4

I - (F+R)
I= chemical energy stored in ingested food
F = energy lost in faeces and urine
R = energy lost in respiration

Question 5

Efficiency of energy transfers

Answer 5

Kilojoules per square metre per year
To calculate the efficiency of energy transfer between each trophies level =
(Energy available after transfer/energy available before transfer) x 100