Lesson 18.
Transfer of Energy in
Trophic Levels
Objectives describe how energy is
At the end 1 transferred from one
of the organism to another; and
lesson, you
should be classify level of organisms
able to:
2 in the food web.
Learn about It!
Types of Energy Production
● Primary energy production
refers to the amount of light
energy converted to
chemical energy.
● This energy is stored either
as sugars or biomass.
Plants as primary producers
Learn about It!
Types of Energy Production
● Secondary energy
production is the
amount of consumer’s
food of which gets
converted into their
biomass.
Animals as secondary producers
Learn about It!
Trophic Efficiency
● It is the net amount of
energy transferred from
one trophic level to the next
trophic level.
● Ecological pyramids are
used to illustrate trophic
efficiency.
Ecological pyramid
Learn about It!
Ecological Pyramids
● Ecological pyramids can be
represented as:
○ the number of
individuals; and
○ energy conserved at
different trophic levels.
Ecological pyramid
Learn about It!
Pyramid of Numbers
● A pyramid of numbers
shows the number of
individuals needed in each
trophic level to sustain a
given food chain.
Ecological pyramid
Learn about It!
Pyramid of Numbers
● Producers occupy the
lowest level, the base,
and the following
consumers occupy higher
levels.
Ecological pyramid
Learn about It!
Pyramid of Energy
● The total energy
conserved across
different trophic levels
of a food chain is
represented through a
pyramid of energy.
Pyramid of energy
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Pyramid of Energy
● It is constructed according
to the total energy (kJ) in
each trophic level at a given
period of time.
● Producers occupy the base
and the succeeding
consumers at higher levels.
Pyramid of energy
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Pyramid of Energy
● Only about 10% of the
energy at one trophic
level is conserved and
becomes available to the
next thus, approximately
90% of energy is lost.
Pyramid of energy
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Pyramid of Energy
● Consequently, the first
trophic level has the
highest energy while the
last trophic level has the
lowest.
● Thus, an energy pyramid is
always broad at the base
and becomes narrow Pyramid of energy
towards the top.
Learn about It!
Pyramid of Biomass
● The pyramid of biomass is an illustration of the relationship
between biomass and trophic level.
Biomass pyramid
Learn about It!
Pyramid of Biomass
● It shows the quantity of biomass or amount of stored
energy present at each trophic level at a particular time.
Biomass pyramid
Key Points
The sun is the primary source of energy in
1 ecosystems. This energy is transferred and sustained
into the ecosystem.
The net amount of energy transferred from one
2 trophic level to the next trophic level is called trophic
efficiency.
A pyramid of numbers shows the number of
3 individuals needed in each trophic level to sustain a
given food chain.
Key Points
The total energy conserved across different trophic
4 levels of a food chain is represented through a
pyramid of energy.
The pyramid of biomass tries to show the quantity
5 of biomass or amount of stored energy present at
each trophic level at a particular time.
Check Your Understanding
Write the word true if the given statement is
correct and false if otherwise.
1.The sun is the primary source of energy in ecosystems.
2.This energy is transferred and sustained into the ecosystem
through primary and secondary energy production.
3.Secondary energy production refers to the amount of light
energy converted to chemical energy.
4.The energy in the producers is stored either as sugars or
biomass.
5.Primary energy production is the amount of consumer’s food
of which gets converted into their biomass.
Challenge Yourself
Why is the pyramid
of energy always
broad at the base
and narrow at the
top?
Bibliography
Carnegie Mellon University. “Oxygen Cycle.” Accessed August 31, 2017.
http://environ.andrew.cmu.edu/m3/s4/cycleOxygen.shtml
Department of Environment and Natural Resources. “National Greening Program.” Accessed September
1, 2017. https://www.denr.gov.ph/priority-programs/national-greening-program.html
Elmhurst College. “Phosphorus Cycle.” Accessed August 30, 2017.
http://chemistry.elmhurst.edu/vchembook/308phosphorus.html
Joan Fong, et al. 2014. Science Matters. Second Edition. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Education.
Jane B. Reese, et al. 2011. Campbell Biology. Ninth Edition. San Francisco CA: Pearson Education, Inc. /
Pearson Benjamin Cummings
Bibliography
Lam, Peng Kwan and Erik Y K Lam. 2007. Biology Matters. First Edition. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish
Education.
Langston University Research & Extension. “Ecosystems, Energy and Production.” Accessed August 29,
2017. http://www2.luresext.edu/aquaculture/Limnology%20lectures/chap%205%20ecosystems.pdf
