Three Causes of Energy Loss Between Trophic Levels
1. Incomplete Consumption
- Not all organisms or parts of organisms are consumed by the next trophic level.
- The energy in uneaten material is passed to decomposers, not higher trophic levels.
- Locusts may eat parts of plants but rarely consume them entirely.
- Similarly, predators often leave behind bones or hair.
2. Incomplete Digestion
- Not all consumed food is digested or absorbed.
- This waste becomes energy for decomposers, bypassing the food chain.
Animals cannot digest tough materials like cellulose or keratin, and undigested food is egested as waste.
3. Energy Loss in Cell Respiration
- Carbohydrates, proteins, and other food molecules are oxidized during cell respiration to release energy.
- This energy powers vital processes like movement and active transport, with most released as heat.
- Only the carbon compounds not used in respiration pass to the next trophic level.
