Question

Algae → larva of a prawn → anchovy → eel. In this food chain, algae obtains about 4,000 KJ of energy from the sun. What is the amount of energy that will be available to the eel and why?

Answer 1

The energy passed to each subsequent trophic level in food chain is 10% of the energy in the last trophic level. Therefore:
Algae- 4,000 kJ
Larva- 400 kJ
Anchovy- 40 kJ
Eel- 4 kJ

The reduction in the energy passed is due to the fact that when an organism consumes a given amount of energy, it is utilized for different functions within the organism's body and is lost in a form that can not be recovered, for example, as heat energy.