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How much energy moves through to each new tropic level?

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Final answer:

Energy moves through each new trophic level with a significant loss at each step. Only about 10 percent of the energy at one trophic level is available to the next level. This energy loss explains why there are rarely more than four trophic levels in a food chain or web.

Step-by-step explanation:

Energy moves through each new trophic level with a significant loss at each step. Generally, only about 10 percent of the energy at one trophic level is available to the next level. The other 90 percent of energy is used for metabolic processes or given off to the environment as heat. This energy loss explains why there are rarely more than four trophic levels in a food chain or web.

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