Question

The energy available at the trophic level that forms the base of an energy pyramid is 5,000 kilocalories. How much energy is available at the trophic level that has secondary consumers?

Answer 1

Only about 10 percent of energy is available at the next level, so starting from the base, primary consumers would only receive about 500 kilo-calories of energy (0.1 times 5,000). Do the same math again for 500, and so secondary consumers only get 50 kilo-calories.