Question

At each trophic level along a food chain, there is always a 'loss' of matter and energy in the forms of waste (e.g., carbon dioxide, faeces) and heat and kinetic energy (e.g., the constant body temperature of mammals, the energy used to move).

Answer 1

Energy is transferred between trophic levels in a food chain, but only about 10% is actually passed on to the next level. The rest is used by organisms for metabolic processes or lost as heat. This loss of energy explains why there are typically only four trophic levels in a food chain or food web.

Step-by-step explanation:

Organisms in an ecosystem acquire energy in a variety of ways, which is transferred between trophic levels as the energy flows from the bottom to the top of the food web, with energy being lost at each transfer. The efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels is approximately 10%, with the rest being used by organisms at that level for metabolic processes or given off to the environment as heat. This loss of energy explains why there are rarely more than four trophic levels in a food chain or food web.