EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -As you move up the pyramid, through the trophic levels to primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, the amount of energy decreases and the levels become smaller. While energy can not be created or destroyed is it released as heat within each level. Approximately only 10% of energy is passed from one level to the next.

Detailed explanation-2: -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-3: -The different feeding positions in a food chain or web are called trophic levels. Generally, there are no more than four trophic levels because energy and biomass decrease from lower to higher levels.

Detailed explanation-4: -Only approximately 10 % of the biomass from each trophic level is transferred to the level above it. This is why the pyramid of biomass gets smaller, as there are less organisms as we go higher up the trophic levels.

Detailed explanation-5: -There are many organisms that feed on these producers and use their energy in their own biological processes. These organisms are higher in the pyramid. So why are these pyramids shaped the way they are? The reason is that as you get further and further away from primary consumers, less energy is transferred.