Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

The video tutorial explains how energy is distributed across trophic levels in an ecosystem. It begins by discussing the role of producers in generating chemical energy through photosynthesis and how only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level. The tutorial demonstrates how to calculate energy distribution using decimal movement and provides examples with kilocalories. It emphasizes the importance of correctly identifying the starting point for energy calculations and concludes with practice problems to reinforce understanding.

What is the initial percentage of chemical energy available to producers in an ecosystem?

• 100%

• 0%

• 50%

• 10%

If a plant has 100% of the original energy, what percentage of energy does the insect receive?

• 10%

• 0.1%

• 1%

• 100%

How much energy does a lizard receive if the plant has 100% of the original energy?

• 0.01%

• 10%

• 1%

• 0.1%

In a food chain starting with algae, what is the energy percentage in the minnow population?

• 0.01%

• 0.1%

• 10%

• 1%

What is the role of the sun in the context of chemical energy in ecosystems?

• Source of chemical energy for consumers

• Not a source of chemical energy

• Secondary source of chemical energy

• Primary source of chemical energy

If 25,000 kilocalories are in the algae, how many kilocalories are in the bass population?

• 2.5

• 25

• 250

• 2,500

What percentage of the original energy is present in the lizard population if the plants have 100%?

• 0.1%

• 1%

• 0.01%

• 10%

If 60,000 kilocalories are in the phytoplankton, how many are in the humpback whale population?

• 600

• 6,000

• 6

• 60

Which trophic level receives approximately 1% of the initial energy in an ecosystem?

• Producers

• Tertiary consumers

• Secondary consumers

• Primary consumers

What happens to the majority of energy that is not transferred to the next trophic level?

• Converted to water

• Lost as heat

• Stored as fat

• Used for growth