Multiple choice

What percentage of energy present at one trophic level is passed on to the next trophic level?

  1. 1

  2. 2

  3. 5

  4. 10
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Approximately 10% of energy transfers from one trophic level to the next, known as the 10% rule or Lindeman's rule. This means 90% of energy is lost at each transfer, primarily as metabolic heat. This limitation explains why food chains rarely have more than 4-5 trophic levels.

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