Energy Transfer in Trophic Pyramids

Energy Transfer in Trophic Pyramids

• Organisms in a trophic pyramid have a hierarchical structure, with producers at the bottom, followed by primary consumers, secondary consumers, and eventually tertiary consumers.
• Energy transfer between levels is inefficient. Approximately 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next.
• The remaining energy is lost as heat through cellular respiration or is used in other activities.

Trophic Pyramid Considerations

• An apex predator like an orca requires more energy than a wolf due to its larger size and higher metabolic rate.

• Abiotic factors such as water availability, pH, nutrient concentrations, and temperature can affect organisms within a trophic pyramid.

• Biotic factors like competition, predation, and disease influence populations and energy transfer.

• Key nutrient cycles, such as the carbon and nitrogen cycles, are vital to energy flow and ecosystem health.

• The carbon cycle involves photosynthesis and respiration, where carbon is transferred between producers, consumers, and the atmosphere.

Sea Otter and Killer Whale Energy Needs

• Female sea otters consume approximately 41,630 kcal per day.
• Male sea otters consume approximately 61,540 kcal per day.
• An average sea otter provides 51,505 kcal.
• On average, a female killer whale requires 193,000 kcal and a male 287,331 kcal per day.
• A killer whale would need to eat approximately 5.6 sea otters per day.
• Calculations show that a killer whale would need to eat approximately 2,060 sea otters in a year.
• To consume 40,000 sea otters in a day, 8,000 killer whales would be needed.