Key Area 4 - Energy In Ecosystems

Question 1

What do the arrows in a food chain or web show?

Answer 1

The direction of energy flow

Question 2

How is the majority of energy (90%) lost in transfers from one level to the next in a food chain?

Answer 2

Through heat, by movement or in undigested materials

Question 3

Only a very small quantity of energy is used for growth and is therefore…

Answer 3

Available to consumers at the next level in a food chain

Question 4

What does a pyramid of numbers represent?

Answer 4

The number of organisms at each trophic level.

Producers form the base, primary consumers above this, followed by secondary consumers and tertiary consumers at the top

Question 5

What does a pyramid or energy show?

Answer 5

The quantity of energy stored in the biomass of the organisms at each level in the food chain