This means that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next. This is due to a few key factors:
* Metabolism: Organisms use a large portion of the energy they consume for their own metabolic processes (like growth, movement, and maintaining body temperature).
* Incomplete digestion: Not all consumed food is fully digested and absorbed. Some is lost as waste.
* Heat loss: All living organisms lose some energy as heat during respiration and other metabolic processes.
This energy loss is why food chains and food webs typically have only a few trophic levels. There simply isn't enough energy to support many levels.
