Biomass transfer

Cards (8)

What is the main source of energy for nearly all life on Earth?
The Sun
How do green plants use sunlight?
Photosynthesis
Biomass stores energy
When biomass is transferred through a food chain, approximately how much is transferred from one level to the next?
10 percent
Why is biomass lost between trophic levels?
Organisms don't eat every single part of the organism they're consuming
Organisms don't absorb everything in the food they ingest, and the rest is egested as faeces
Some biomass is converted into other substances that are lost as waste e.g. using up glucose for warmth and energy creating carbon dioxide and waste water
What substance in biomass turns into urea when broken down?
Proteins
How do you calculate biomass lost?
Subtract biomass at level 2 from level 1 etc.
You can calculate biomass efficiency by diving biomass at level 1 by biomass at level 2 X 100 etc.