10 Percent Energy Rule
Producers can utilise only 1% of the sunlight through photosynthesis to prepare their food. The energy is lost in the form of heat to the environment and in metabolism when plants are eaten by the next trophic level. This rule highlights the efficiency of energy transfer and the challenges of supporting higher trophic levels in ecosystems.
The 10 percent energy rule states that of the energy available at one trophic level, only about 10 percent of the energy is transferred to the next trophic level. Because of this 10% energy rule, the food chain can be sustained only up to 4-5 trophic level.
Food Chains and Food Webs
Food Chain and Food Web both show the direction of the flow of energy and nutrients in the ecosystem. The food chain is a linear representation of organisms along the trophic level, while the food web is multiple interconnected food chains.
The food chain and food web make us understand the interaction among the species and the way they are interdependent. Overall it gives an impression of the workings of the ecosystem and the balance it maintains within. In this article, we will also study the difference between food chain and food web.
Table of Content
- What is a Food Chain?
- Food Chain Diagram
- Types of Food Chain
- Food Web
- Food Web Diagram
- 10 Percent Energy Rule
- Difference between the Food Chain and Food Web
- Why are Humans not Apex Predators?
- Importance of Food Chain and Food Web
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