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Energy Transfer PAGES 368-369 Tropic Level •Trophic level: position in a series of energy transfers Trophic Levels •Only 10% of the total energy is passed onto the next trophic level ◦Energy lost to biological processes (digestion, growth and repair, running, walking etc.) ◦Energy lost as heat 90 % Energy Lost 90 % Energy Lost 90 % Energy Lost Large Carnivore • 3˚ Consumer • Ex: killer whale Small Carnivore • 2˚Consumer • Ex: sea otter Herbivore • 1˚ Consumer • Ex: sea urchin Producer • Ex: Kelp Energy flows through ecosystems sun secondary consumers (carnivores) primary consumers (herbivores) producers (plants) loss of energy loss of energy Question: Why is a pyramid used to display energy transfer and not a square? Approximately 90% loss of energy at each trophic level Keystone Species •Has disproportionately large effect on the ecosystem •Dictates community structure •Demonstrated by removal of keystone species from community • Ex. Sea stars, otters Sea star feeds on all bivalves. When the sea star is removed from the tide pools one bivalve (mussel) out competes the rest for resources and becomes the dominant species.