22.3k views
3 votes
Why is so much energy "lost" between trophic levels?

It does not just disappear, what is it used for?

1 Answer

8 votes

Answer:

Energy decreases as it moves up trophic levels because energy is lost as metabolic heat.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the organisms from one trophic level are consumed by organisms from the next level. ... A food chain can usually sustain no more than six energy transfers before all the energy is used up.

User Joseph Szymborski
by
4.4k points