Which trophic level has the least available energy in kilojoules in this food web?
Which trophic level has the least available energy in kilojoules in this food web?
The trophic level with the least available energy in kilojoules in the given food web is the top predator. This is because energy is lost at each trophic level due to respiration, heat loss, and incomplete digestion.
As a result, the top predator, which is the killer whale, will have the least available energy in kilojoules.
What is a food web?
A food web is a diagram that shows how the different organisms in an ecosystem are interconnected by their feeding relationships. The arrows in a food web represent the flow of energy from one organism to another. The tail of the arrow points to the organism that is being eaten, and the head of the arrow points to the organism that is doing the eating.
What is a trophic level?
A trophic level is a group of organisms that occupy the same position in a food web. Producers are at the first trophic level, primary consumers are at the second trophic level, secondary consumers are at the third trophic level, and so on.
Why does energy decrease at each trophic level?
Energy decreases at each trophic level because energy is lost at each level due to respiration, heat loss, and incomplete digestion. Respiration is the process by which organisms break down food to release energy. Heat loss is the process by which organisms lose energy as heat. Incomplete digestion is the process by which organisms do not digest all of the food they eat. As a result, the top predator, which is the killer whale in the given food web, will have the least available energy in kilojoules.
Example:
Let's say a producer, such as a plant, has 1000 kilojoules of energy. When a primary consumer, such as a rabbit, eats the plant, it will only be able to absorb about 100 kilojoules of energy. The rest of the energy is lost due to respiration, heat loss, and incomplete digestion. When a secondary consumer, such as a fox, eats the rabbit, it will only be able to absorb about 10 kilojoules of energy. The rest of the energy is lost again due to respiration, heat loss, and incomplete digestion. And so on.
Conclusion:
The trophic level with the least available energy in kilojoules in a food web is the top predator. This is because energy is lost at each trophic level due to respiration, heat loss, and incomplete digestion.
Implications:
This understanding of energy flow through food webs has important implications for managing ecosystems. For example, if we want to increase the population of a top predator, we need to make sure that there is enough energy available at the lower trophic levels. We can do this by protecting the plants and animals that the top predator eats.
Another implication is that we should be careful about how much we consume at the top of the food web. When we eat meat, we are essentially eating the energy that has been accumulated by the organisms at the lower trophic levels. If we consume too much meat, we are putting a strain on the ecosystem and making it less resilient to disturbances.
