Trace Energy Flow
Given an ecosystem or biological scenario:
- Identify the primary energy source (usually sunlight).
- Trace capture: which organisms fix energy (photosynthesis in plants, chemosynthesis in deep-sea vents)?
- Trace transfer: through which trophic levels does energy flow (producer → herbivore → predator)?
- Identify energy loss at each transfer (roughly 90% lost as heat at each trophic level).
- Trace decomposition: how does energy in dead matter return to the system through fungal and bacterial decomposition?
- Assess the overall energy budget: what limits productivity in this system?