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Question
- why do the energy pyramids of food webs have a triangular shape?
Energy pyramids are triangular because energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient. Only about 10 - 20% of energy is passed on from one level to the next, with the rest lost as heat. So, there is less available energy at higher trophic levels, resulting in fewer organisms that can be supported, creating a pyramid - like structure.
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Energy transfer between trophic levels is inefficient, with most energy lost as heat. Only a small percentage (about 10 - 20%) is passed on, supporting fewer organisms at higher trophic levels, giving the energy pyramid a triangular shape.