According to the 10% rule, what percentage of energy generally transfers to the next trophic level?

The 10% rule, often referenced in ecology and marine science, states that when energy is passed from one trophic level to the next in a food chain, approximately 10% of the energy from the previous level is transferred. This means that as energy moves from producers to primary consumers and subsequently to higher trophic levels (like secondary and tertiary consumers), a significant portion of energy is lost, primarily through metabolic processes, heat production, and waste.

The remaining 90% of the energy is typically not available for the next level, as it is lost in these various ways. Thus, when examining energy transfer within an ecosystem, the figure that best represents this phenomenon is 10%, signifying the efficiency of energy transfer and highlighting the limitations of energy available to higher-level consumers. Understanding this concept is crucial for comprehending food web dynamics and energy flow in marine and terrestrial ecosystems.