Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

Please examine the provided food chain diagram from a real ecosystem: Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk

Question 1

Short answer
Explain the concept of a trophic level in the context of the food chain provided.

Question 2

Short answer
What percentage of energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next in an ecosystem?

Question 3

Short answer
In the given food chain, if the grass stores 10,000 units of energy, how much energy would you expect the grasshopper to receive?

Question 4

Short answer
Using the energy transfer percentage from question 2, calculate the approximate amount of energy the frog would receive from the grasshopper.

Question 5

Short answer
What happens to the majority of energy that is not transferred to the next trophic level? Give two examples of where this energy might go.

Question 6

Short answer
Discuss the implications of energy transfer efficiency for the population sizes of organisms at different trophic levels in the food chain.

Question 7

Short answer
How does the second law of thermodynamics apply to the energy transfer in the food chain?

Question 8

Short answer
Why is the energy content lower at the top of the food chain compared to the bottom?

Question 9

Short answer
Describe one way human activity can disrupt the energy flow in a food chain like the one provided.

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