Why does net productivity decrease in ascending trophic levels?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Question restatement: The prompt asks why net productivity decreases as you move up through ascending trophic levels.
Given option: heat lost from respiration.
Analysis: In ecological energetics, energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient. A large portion of the energy captured by producers via photosynthesis is consumed or dissipated by metabolic processes, and a substantial fraction is eventually lost as heat through cellular respiration. This loss of energy as heat reduces the amount available for growth, reproduction, and thus net productivity at higher trophic levels. Therefore, heat released during respiration is a primary reason why net productivity declines up the food chain.
If any other options were present (e.g., material losses due to incomplete digestion, energy stored in indigestible parts, or external energy inputs), each would need its own evaluation. However, in this case only one option is provided, and it correctly aligns with the foundational concept of ecological efficiency: energy is lost as heat during metabolic processes, decreasing net productivity at successive trophic levels.
Additional nuance: while not all energy is lost as heat, the proportion that is converted to heat via respiration is substantial, often cited as a ~10% transfer efficiency between levels. This means roughly 90% of energy is lost at each step to maintenance costs and heat, reinforcing why higher trophic levels sustain much smaller populations with lower net productivity.
In summary, heat produced from respiration accounts for a major portion of the energy not transferred to the next trophic level, explaining the observed decrease in net productivity as you ascend the food chain.

BIOL 1001 (090-095) Unit 4.3 Learning Quiz: Ecosystem ecology

Why does net productivity decrease in ascending trophic levels?

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