Why is each level of energy pyramid smaller than the level directly below it? Because 10% of the energy at each level moves to the next level in some additional energy is converted to heat because the size is of each level show that 10% is consumed by organism at that level because about. 10% of the energy is confirmed to heat when organisms become ill and other 10% when they die. Because ninety percent of the energy is passed on to the next level to be used by the organisms there
The reason each level of the energy pyramid is smaller than the level below it is due to the principle of energy transfer and consumption within an ecosystem.
At each level (or trophic level) of the energy pyramid, organisms obtain energy by consuming organisms from the level below. However, not all of the energy contained in the lower-level organism is passed on to the consumer.
When an organism consumes another organism, only about 10% of the energy is stored as biomass and becomes available for consumption by the consuming organism. The remaining 90% of the energy is lost through various processes such as metabolic heat production, cellular respiration, and incomplete digestion. This energy loss results in a decrease in the total amount of energy available at each successive level of the pyramid.
Additionally, as you mentioned, some energy is also lost as heat when organisms become ill or die. These processes further contribute to the energy loss within the ecosystem.
Overall, the efficiency of energy transfer from one trophic level to the next is low, typically around 10%, which is why each level of the energy pyramid is smaller in size compared to the level below it. This phenomenon is known as ecological efficiency.