AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -On average, only about 10% of the energy stored as biomass in one trophic level-e.g., primary producers-gets stored as biomass in the next trophic level-e.g., primary consumers. Put another way, net productivity usually drops by a factor of ten from one trophic level to the next.

Detailed explanation-2: -Only about 10% of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to another. The rest is used for life processes of the organism and some is lost as heat.

Detailed explanation-3: -The amount of energy at each trophic level decreases as it moves through an ecosystem. As little as 10 percent of the energy at any trophic level is transferred to the next level; the rest is lost largely through metabolic processes as heat.

Detailed explanation-4: -Energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels because energy is lost as metabolic heat when the organisms from one trophic level are consumed by organisms from the next level. Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) measures the amount of energy that is transferred between trophic levels.

Detailed explanation-5: -The 10% Rule means that when energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on. An energy pyramid shows the feeding levels of organisms in an ecosystem and gives a visual representation of energy loss at each level.