Notes for C4.2.14 Restrictions on the number of trophic levels in ecosystems - IB | RevisionDojo
C4.2.14 Restrictions on the number of trophic levels in ecosystems Notes
Energy Losses Restrict the Number of Trophic Levels in Ecosystems
As only 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels, less energy is available for higher trophic levels.
These energy losses are the reason why the number of trophic levels in food chains are limited.
Tip
Remember: Energy flows, matter cycles.
Energy enters as sunlight and exits as heat, while matter is recycled within ecosystems.
Sustaining Trophic Levels Become Highly Inefficient
Essentially, this boils down to:
Energy Depletion: As energy diminishes at each level, it becomes insufficient to sustain another level.
Smaller Populations: Higher trophic levels support fewer organisms because they require more energy-rich food.
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Questions
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Question 1
Recap question
Although biomass decreases up a food chain, energy content per unit mass of organisms can sometimes increase. What explains this phenomenon?
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What percentage of energy is transferred between trophic levels?
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Note
Ecosystems are structured into different levels based on who eats whom, forming a food chain. At each level, energy is transferred from one organism to another.
The trophic levels are like the steps in a ladder, with plants at the bottom and top predators at the top.
Energy flows in a one-way direction, starting from the sun and ending as heat.
DefinitionTrophic LevelsThe hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, comprising producers at the base and top predators at the apex.
AnalogyThink of a food chain like a company hierarchy: the CEO (top predator) relies on managers (carnivores), who rely on workers (herbivores), who rely on raw materials (plants).
