Question

3. Assuming an energy transfer efficiency of 10% between trophic levels, calculate the transfer of energy to the tertiary consumers in a food chain whose primary producers absorb 2.5 × 106 kilojoules of radiant energy per year. Explain your answer.

Answer 1

Ans) amount of energy transferred to tertiary consumer in a food chain=2.5x10³ kJ/yr

Explaination:

Food chain :

Primary producer--->primary consumer ---> secondary consumer----> tertiary consumer.

According to the 10 percent law, only 10% of the energy is transferred from lower trophic level to next higher trophic level in a food chain. If 2.5x10⁶ kilo joules of energy per year is available to the primary producer, then 2.5x10⁵ kilojoules of energy will be transferred to the primary consumer and 2.5x 10⁴ kilojoules of energy will be transferred to the secondary consumer. The energy transferred to the tertiary consumer will be 2.5 x10³ kilo joules of energy per yr.