Trophic Levels and Energy Transfer

These flashcards cover key concepts related to trophic levels and energy transfer in ecological systems.

Trophic Level

The feeding positions in a food chain or web.

Producer

Organisms that make their own food, typically plants.

Primary Consumer

Organisms that consume producers, usually herbivores.

Secondary Consumer

Organisms that consume primary consumers, typically carnivores.

Tertiary Consumer

Organisms that consume secondary consumers.

Ecological Pyramid

A model that shows how energy and biomass decrease from lower to higher trophic levels.

Biomass

The total mass of organisms at a trophic level.

Energy Transfer Efficiency

Typically, only about 10 percent of energy is available to the next trophic level.

Metabolic Processes

Processes that consume energy for growth, reproduction, and maintaining homeostasis.

Energy Loss

The remaining 90 percent of energy at a trophic level is lost to the environment or used by organisms.