Why is each level of the energy pyramid smaller than the level directly below it? (1 point)
Because about 10% of the energy is converted to heat when organisms become ill and another 10% when they die.
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Because 10% of the energy attach level moves to the next level and some additional energy is converted to heat.
O Because the sizes of each level show that 10% is consumed by organisms at that level.
Because 90% of the energy is passed on to the next level to be used by the organisms
The correct answer is: Because 90% of the energy is passed on to the next level to be used by the organisms.
The correct answer is: Because 10% of the energy at each level moves to the next level, and some additional energy is converted to heat.
Each level of the energy pyramid represents a trophic level in an ecosystem, with producers at the bottom and consumers at higher levels. As energy flows from one trophic level to another, it is transferred from one organism to the next. However, not all of the energy is transferred effectively. Roughly 10% of the energy is consumed and assimilated by organisms at each trophic level, while the rest is lost as heat during metabolic processes or as waste.
To understand why each level of the energy pyramid is smaller than the one below it, you need to consider the concept of energy transfer efficiency. When primary producers, such as plants, obtain energy through photosynthesis, they convert around 10% of that energy into biomass, while the remaining 90% is used for respiration and lost as heat. When herbivores consume the plants, they obtain only a fraction of the energy stored in the plant biomass, again losing around 90% of the energy through heat and metabolic processes.
This pattern continues as energy is passed from herbivores to primary carnivores and so on. At each trophic level, only a fraction of the energy from the previous level is acquired, with the rest being lost as heat and waste. Due to this inefficiency in energy transfer, each level of the energy pyramid is smaller than the one below it.
Understanding the concept of energy flow and transfer efficiency is crucial in comprehending the structure and dynamics of food webs and energy pyramids in ecosystems.