Question

Energy enters a system as sunlight and a producer is able to produce 10 kilograms of tissue. if eaten, the producer would produce about ______ kilograms of consumer tissue that would provide about __________ kilograms of tissue for a secondary consumer.

Answer 1

1 kg, 0.1 kg. According to the energy pyramid, only 10 % of energy can be transferred from one trophic level to another. 90% of the energy is lost through heat, respiratory or metabolic. This is why the energy pyramid tapers as you go up the food web.