Components of an ecosystem
Structure and function · Biology
Ecological pyramid
Interactive 3DClimb the trophic pyramid — only a tenth of the energy passes to each level.
Controls
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Study notes
If producers capture 10,000 kJ of solar energy, primary consumers get ≈ 1,000 kJ, secondary ≈ 100 kJ, and tertiary ≈ 10 kJ — roughly 10% transfers at each step; the rest is lost as heat and respiration. That's why food chains rarely exceed 4–5 levels and apex predators are rare.