B2b - energy flow

Question 1

Whatdopyramidsofbiomassshow

Answer 1

thetotaldrymassoflivingmaterialateachstageofafoodchain

Question 2

Explainwhypyramidsofnumbersandpyramidsofbiomassforthesamefoodchainscanbedifferentshapes

Answer 2

oneverylargeproducer/consumermayfeedmanysmallerconsumers(e.g. trees, parasites)

Question 3

Explainthedifficultiesinconstructingpyramidsof biomass(2)

Answer 3

organismsmaybelongtomorethanonetrophiclevel

calculatingdrymassinvolveskillinganddryingorganisms

Question 4

Explainhowsomeenergyistransferredtolessusefulformsateachstage(trophiclevel)inthefoodchain(3)

Answer 4

energyusedforrespirationforheatandmovement

egestion of undigested food which transfer energy out of the food chain

someenergylostviaexcretioninexcretoryproductslikesweat,urine

Question 5

Whatcantheexcretoryproductsbeusedas

Answer 5

heenergyintheexcretoryproductscanbethestartingpointsfornewfoodchains

Question 6

Explain the shape of the pyramids of biomass(2)

Answer 6

material and energy is lost at each trophic level and does not become biomass in the next trophic level
-less biomass higher up the pyramid

Question 7

Explain the limited length of food chains

Answer 7

so much energy is lost at each trophic level that there’s not enough left to support animals after 4 or 5 trophic levels

Question 8

What is the formula tocalculatetheefficiencyofenergy transfer

Answer 8

100%*((energyused for growth)/(energyavailable))