Question

How is energy transferred through the food web? Please explain.

Answer 1

Energy is transferred through the separate trophic levels of a food chain or web by feeding.The first trophic level (producers) is that of plants which are examples of autotrophs – they make their own food. Photosynthesis occurs when the plants use solar energy and convert it into chemical energy so it can be stored in a carbon compound. Once this has happened the energy can be taken up by the primary consumers – these are in the second trophic level (herbivores and omnivores). Secondary consumers also need to gain energy in some way, and this is by eating the primary consumers that have gained energy from the producers, this means that the second trophic level has successfully transferred energy into the third level containing omnivores and carnivores. A succession in energy transferral means that a food web or food chain has a tertiary and/or quaternary trophic level which can contain carnivores and omnivores which are plant and animal eaters (this includes humans). The food chain begins with producers, organisms such as green plants, that can make their own food. Plants are eaten by consumers, which are organisms that cannot make their own food. As Producers create their own energy throughphotosynthesis; Primary consumers then feed upon producers and receive part oftheir energy store and use it themselves; Secondary consumers then eat theprimary consumers and take in their energy and so on. Hope this helps out , also sorry if any of this is repetitive i tried my best

Answer 2

Organisms at the bottom of the food chain, like producers create the energy that passus up the food chain as higher organisms get consumed by even higher ones.