How much energy is lost when moving from algae to clupeid fish?

To understand how much energy is lost when moving from algae to clupeid fish, it’s important to consider the concept of energy transfer within an ecosystem. In a food chain, energy decreases as it moves from one trophic level to the next due to several factors, including metabolic processes, respiration, and the inefficiency of energy transfer.

When algae, which are primary producers, are consumed by clupeid fish (which are primary consumers), a significant portion of the energy stored in the algae is not converted into new biomass in the fish. This energy loss is typically quantified in energy units, such as the au mentioned in the choices.

The figure of 46,800 au represents the amount of energy lost in this transfer. This value reflects the combined energy loss from metabolic activities of algae, the incomplete digestion by the fish, and the energetic cost of sustaining the fish through various life processes. Generally, it is recognized that only about 10% of the energy from one level can be transferred to the next, with the bulk of the energy being lost to heat and other biological processes.

This highlights the efficiency of energy transfer in a food chain and emphasizes how energy diminishes significantly at each trophic level.