Question

Using the energy pyramid below if 5,550 joules were available for the producer level, how much energy is available at the primary consumer level?

Answer 1

Approximately 555 joules of energy would be available to primary consumers, as about 10% of the energy from the producers is transferred to the next trophic level according to biological energy transfer principles.

Step-by-step explanation:

If 5,550 joules were available for the producer level, we must consider the energy transfer efficiency to determine how much energy is available at the primary consumer level. According to biological principles and the studies by Howard T.


Odum, approximately 10 percent of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next due to losses primarily from metabolic processes. Therefore, to find the energy at the primary consumer level, we calculate 10 percent of 5,550 joules.

Energy available to primary consumers = 10% of energy at producer level

Energy available to primary consumers = 10/100 × 5,550 joules

Energy available to primary consumers = 555 joules

Thus, 555 joules of energy would be available to the primary consumers if 5,550 joules were available at the producer level.