Energy flow in ecosystems describes how energy moves through different trophic levels, starting with producers capturing sunlight through photosynthesis
The 10% rule states that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next.
Order the following organisms in a food chain based on their trophic levels, from producers to tertiary consumers:
1️⃣ Grass
2️⃣ Grasshoppers
3️⃣ Frogs
4️⃣ Snakes
What do producers use as their energy source?
Sunlight
The energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is approximately 10%
Decomposers return nutrients to the soil by breaking down dead organic matter.
Match the trophic level with its example organism:
Producers ↔️ Grass
Primary Consumers ↔️ Grasshoppers
Secondary Consumers ↔️ Frogs
Tertiary Consumers ↔️ Snakes
Decomposers like bacteria and fungi break down dead organic matter to release nutrients
What percentage of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next according to the 10% rule?
10%
Energy is lost as heat and through metabolic processes at each trophic level.
What do trophic levels represent in an ecosystem?
Feeding positions
Match the trophic level with its organism type:
Producers ↔️ Plants
Primary Consumers ↔️ Herbivores
Secondary Consumers ↔️ Carnivores or Omnivores
Tertiary Consumers ↔️ Carnivores
Energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolic processes and heat.
The10% rule states that only about 10% of the energy at one level is transferred to the next
What is the energy transfer percentage for producers in a food chain?
100%
If secondary consumers have 100 J of energy, tertiary consumers would have approximately 1 J
Order the following trophic levels based on energy transfer percentage, from highest to lowest:
1️⃣ Producers (100%)
2️⃣ Primary Consumers (10%)
3️⃣ Secondary Consumers (1%)
4️⃣ Tertiary Consumers (0.1%)
What are the two primary reasons energy is lost at each trophic level?
Metabolic processes and heat
Energy flow in ecosystems begins with producers capturing energy from the sun through photosynthesis
Energy is lost at each trophic level due to the 10% rule.
What is the primary source of energy in ecosystems?
Sunlight
Energy flow in ecosystems begins with producers
Energy is lost at each trophic level due to metabolic processes and heat.
What is the 10% rule in energy flow?
10% of energy is transferred
An example of a producer in ecosystems is grass
Arrange the trophic levels in order of energy source.
1️⃣ Sunlight (Producers)
2️⃣ Producers (Primary Consumers)
3️⃣ Primary Consumers (Secondary Consumers)
4️⃣ Secondary Consumers (Tertiary Consumers)
5️⃣ Dead organic matter (Decomposers)
Match the trophic level with its organism type and example:
Energy flow in ecosystems starts with photosynthesis
At each trophic level, energy is lost through metabolic processes, heat, and non-consumed biomass, causing only about 10% of the energy to be transferred to the next level.
What is the name given to the rule that states only about 10% of energy is transferred between trophic levels?
The 10% rule
Energy flow in ecosystems starts with producers capturing energy from the sun through photosynthesis.
At each trophic level, energy is lost through metabolic processes and as heat.
In the given example of a food chain, what percentage of energy is transferred from grass to grasshoppers?
10%
Producers, such as plants, are the primary source of energy in ecosystems.
Match the trophic level with its example organism:
Producers ↔️ Grass
Primary Consumers ↔️ Grasshoppers
Secondary Consumers ↔️ Frogs
Decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, break down dead organic matter, returning nutrients to the soil.