Q.40 Organisms at a higher trophic level have less energy available. Comment.


Ans. Energy flow in the ecosystem follows the 10% energy flow law, proposed by Lindman. According to this law only 10% of the energy available at each trophic level, gets transferred to the next trophic level, the rest is lost in the environment as heat.

As we move to higher trophic levels, the energy available to organisms keeps on decreasing. Thus, the top carnivore gains the least energy in a food chain. Heat energy lasts during Respiration.