The food pyramid

1. The food pyramid Energy transfer in an ecosystem

2. The food pyramid Energy release Apex consumers - dingo 10% Energy absorbed 0.1kJ Tertiary consumers – stick-nest rat 10% Energy absorbed 1kJ Secondary consumers – blind snake 10kJ 10% Energy absorbed Primary consumers - bull ant 100kJ 10% Energy absorbed Primary Producers – daisy 1000kJ 3% energy absorbed Sun 33,333kJ

3. What does this pyramid tell us? • The energy and matter in a food web originates from the sun • Only 10% of the energy is absorbed in each trophic level • This is why we find fewer apex or “top” predators compared to plants • Much of the energy in an ecosystem is used up by metabolic processes • Demonstrates the relationship producers and consumers have and the importance of each level

4. Other knowledge • The vast majority of energy in food webs originates from the sun. • Energy is not recycled in ecosystems and each ecosystem requires a continuous input of energy to sustain it. • There is some energy transformed at each level of the food chain or food web in an ecosystem. • In an ecosystem, energy is frequently transformed from one form to another.