TRANSFER OF BIOMASS

What is biomass

Dry mass of all of the living organisms in an area

Why is dry mass used for biomass

Wet mass varies as the volume of water in the organism varies

How do you calculate the efficiency of biomass transfer

Efficiency = energy transferred / total energy x 100

What percentage of the incident energy from light to photosynthesis do producers transfer

1%

What percentage of biomass from one trophic level is transferred to another

Around 10%

Why are biomass transfers not 100% efficient

Energy is lost through:

* Excretion
* Respiration in which large amounts of glucose are used
* Egestion
* Inedible bones/shells

How does the efficiency of biomass transfers affect the number of trophic levels in a biomass pyramid

Less efficient the transfers, the fewer trophic levels and fewer organisms in higher levels

What is a pyramid of numbers

A pyramid of numbers shows the number of organisms at each trophic level

Why are pyramid of numbers not always pyramid shaped

They don’t take size and mass of organisms into account