Energy Flow Through Trophic Levels

• What is the focus of C 4.2 content?

  Transfers of energy and matter
• What do trophic levels depend on?

  Where an organism is in the food chain
• What always starts a food chain?

  A primary producer
• Who eats primary producers?

  Primary consumers
• How can a fox be classified in different roles?

  As both a secondary and tertiary consumer
• What is an energy pyramid used for?

  To show energy flow through trophic levels
• What does an energy pyramid show?

  Energy gained per year per unit area
• Why should energy pyramids be stepped or scaled?

  To accurately represent energy transfer
• What percentage of energy moves between trophic levels?

  10%
• What happens to the remaining 90% of energy?

  It is lost through various processes
• What is one reason for energy loss at trophic levels?

  Cell respiration generates heat
• What is incomplete consumption?

  Not eating the whole organism
• How does incomplete digestion affect energy transfer?

  It results in energy loss between levels
• What is the goal of cell respiration?

  Convert glucose energy into ATP
• Why is heat energy considered lost in ecosystems?

  It cannot be converted back to chemical energy
• Why do ecosystems need a constant energy flow?

  To sustain organisms and biomass
• What limits the number of trophic levels in a food chain?

  Massive energy loss
• How does biomass relate to energy in food chains?

  Biomass decreases with each trophic level
• What is primary production?

  Accumulation of carbon compounds in consumers
• What is gross primary production (GPP)?

  Total biomass made during photosynthesis
• What is net primary production (NPP)?

  GPP minus energy used for respiration
• Why is NPP important for consumers?

  It indicates energy available for consumption
• What are the units for NPP?

  Grams of carbon per meter squared per year
• How does secondary production relate to biomass?

  It follows a similar pattern to energy levels
• How can humans increase their productivity in terms of diet?

  By eating more plant-based diets
• What are the main reasons for energy loss in trophic levels?

  • Cell respiration generates heat
  • Incomplete consumption of organisms
  • Incomplete digestion of food
• How does biomass change across trophic levels?

  • Biomass decreases with each level
  • Requires more biomass of producers to sustain consumers
  • Limited by energy loss at each level
• What factors influence net primary production (NPP) in different biomes?

  • Climate conditions
  • Availability of sunlight
  • Water and nutrient availability
• What is the relationship between primary producers and consumers?

  • Primary producers form the base of food chains
  • They provide energy and biomass for consumers
  • Consumers rely on producers for energy