Level 1: all plants that use light through photosynthesis Level 2: herbivores, animals that eat only plants (cows, rabbits) Level 3: carnivores, animals that eat only herbivores (wolves, blood-sucking ticks) Level 4: carnivores that eat only carnivores (killer whales) Others: things that eat dead and decaying matter, (termites, fungus) Mixed: omnivores eating from all trophic levels (people) Each level uses at most 10% of the available energy, therefore animals from level 4 use less than 2% x .1 x .1 x .1 = .002% of the total energy taken from the sun by life.
(all plants; use; light; through photosynthesis Level 2: herbivores) (omnivores; eating; ) (animals; eat; only plants) (all trophic levels; uses; at most 10% of the available energy) (animals; eat; only herbivores) (the total energy; taken; from the sun; by life) (carnivores; eat; only carnivores) (things; eat; dead and decaying matter)
all plants omnivores animals all trophic levels animals the total energy carnivores things
use eating eat uses eat taken eat eat
light through photosynthesis Level 2: herbivores
only plants
at most 10% of the available energy
only herbivores
from the sun by life
only carnivores
dead and decaying matter