Trophic Levels

Front

What does biomass refer to in an ecosystem?

Back

Biomass refers to the amount of living tissue at a trophic level.

Front

What is the approximate efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels?

Back

The efficiency of energy transfer from a lower trophic level to the next highest level is roughly 10%.

Front

What are organisms that eat primary consumers called?

Back

Organisms that eat primary consumers are called secondary consumers.

Front

What is the role of decomposers in an ecosystem?

Back

Decomposers are organisms that get energy from breaking down dead organisms, non-living material, or waste.

Front

How are trophic levels visually represented?

Back

Trophic levels are represented by pyramids.

Front

What are the primary producers in a food chain?

Back

Primary producers are typically plants or phytoplankton that convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.

Front

What is a food web?

Back

A food web is a complex network of feeding relationships among various organisms in an ecosystem.

Front

What is the difference between a herbivore and a carnivore?

Back

Herbivores are organisms that primarily eat plants, while carnivores are organisms that primarily eat other animals.

Front

What is a trophic cascade?

Back

A trophic cascade is an ecological phenomenon triggered by the addition or removal of top predators, which leads to changes in the population sizes of species at lower trophic levels.

Front

What is the significance of the 10% rule in ecology?

Back

The 10% rule in ecology indicates that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level, affecting population dynamics and energy availability.