Question

According to Lindemann's Ten Percent Law, what percentage of organic matter is stored as flesh during the transfer of food from one trophic level to the next?

• A. A) Approximately 1%
• B. B) Approximately 10%
• C. C) Approximately 50%
• D. D) Approximately 90%

Answer 1

Answer:

B. B) Approximately 10%

Lindemann's Ten Percent Law

• The Lindemann's Ten Percent Law was proposed by Raymond Lindemann in 1942.

• This ecological law states that during the transfer of food energy from one trophic level to the next, only approximately 10% of the energy is assimilated and stored as new biomass (flesh) by the organisms at the higher level.

• The remaining 90% of the energy is lost at each transfer. This loss primarily occurs in the form of heat during metabolic activities such as respiration, digestion, and movement, and also due to incomplete consumption or assimilation of food.

Key Concepts and Implications

• Energy Flow: This law is fundamental to understanding the flow of energy through an ecosystem and illustrates its progressive reduction as it moves up the food chain.

• Trophic Levels: These are the positions occupied by organisms in a food chain. They include:

  • Producers (Autotrophs): Organisms that produce their own food (e.g., plants). They form the base of the food chain.

  • Primary Consumers (Herbivores): Organisms that feed on producers.

  • Secondary Consumers (Carnivores/Omnivores): Organisms that feed on primary consumers.

  • Tertiary Consumers: Organisms that feed on secondary consumers.

• Pyramid of Energy: The 10% law directly explains why the pyramid of energy is always upright, meaning that the energy content decreases significantly at each successive trophic level.

• Biomass Reduction: Due to the substantial energy loss at each transfer, the total biomass (mass of living organisms) generally decreases drastically at higher trophic levels. This is why food chains typically consist of only 3 to 5 levels.