Energy flow through an ecosystem can be shown as an energy pyramid, representing the biomass (kilograms per square meter) of trophic levels.

Typically, 10% of the energy at each level is converted to biomass at the next higher level.

Thus, producers yield

• 10% of its energy to primary consumers
• 1% of its energy to secondary consumers
• 0.1% of its energy to tertiary consumers

• Do you prefer to eat smaller fish like sardines, or larger fish such as swordfish and tuna?
  • Large fish are top-level consumers.
    Toxins such as mercury from lower trophic levels accumulate in fat tissue of predators and become more concentrated.