BuildinganEnergyPyramid

QUESTION:

Howmuchenergyistransferred fromonetrophic level to thenexttrophic level?

PROCEDURE:

Part I:

1. (On theleft of thetemplate):Labeleachlevelof theenergypyramid with theappropriate term: producer,primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer.

2. (On therightofthetemplate):Labeleachleveloftheenergy pyramidwiththeappropriate term: trophiclevel1,trophiclevel2,trophiclevel3,and trophiclevel4

3. Look at table 1, Calculate the percent energy transferred from one level to the next

level. Hint: (Look for a pattern or calculate by dividing the upper level by the lower

level and then multiply by 100.)

Part II:

4. Pour1000mLof tap waterintothe1000mLbeaker. Add1or2drops of foodcoloring

to the waterandswirl. The waterinthisbeakerrepresentstheenergyfoundin thefirst tropic level(producers).

5. Lineupthe3 clearcups.Look at your calculations inTable 1:How muchenergywas

transferredfromtrophiclevelonetoleveltwo? Pourthatpercentage fromthe1000 mL. (EX:10%of 1000is 100 ML) intothefirstcup.

6. How muchenergywas transferredfromthesecondtrophic leveltothe thirdlevel?

Pour that percentagefromcuponeinto cuptwo.

7. Repeatforthe fourthtrophic level/cupthree.

Name Period Date

EnergyPyramidDataSheet

Table 1:AvailableEnergy inTrophicLevelsof the CedarGlade

Trophic Level / Organism / Energy Kcal/m2/year / PercentEnergy
Transferred
Trophic Level1 / Producers / 200
Trophic Level2 / Primary Consumers (Herbivores) / 19.6
Trophic Level3 / Secondary Consumers / 2.0
Trophic Level4 / Tertiary Consumers / 0.19

QuestionsandAnalysis:

1. Thebeaker+1000mLrepresentwhichpart of afood chain? ______

2. a) The1stcuprepresentedthe trophic level,or,the _consumer.

b) The2ndcuprepresented the trophic level,or,the _consumer. c) The3rdcuprepresentedthe trophic level,or,the _consumer.

3. Could theecosystemrepresented inTable1supportanotherlevelabovelevelfour? Explain.

4. TheTen percent lawis the transfer of energy from onetrophic levelto the next and was introduced byRaymond Lindeman(1942). Using what you have learned from the lab, explain the Ten percent law:

5. Thebeakerand cupsthatyouarranged in PartIIIrepresenteda food chain. a) Thebeaker+1000 mLrepresentedwhichlevel?

b) How muchof theoriginalenergywasleft in the3rdcup (teritiaryconsumer)? _%

6. Where onthefoodchainshould humans eatinordertogainthemostenergy? (Inother words, whereis the“best deal” intermsofenergy?)

EnergyPyramidTemplate