Why the number of trophic levels in a food chain is limited?

On average only 10 percent of the food available to a trophic level is transferred to next tropic level. Since the
amount of available energy becomes as we move to higher tropic levels so very li le usable energy remains a er
four trophic levels. That's why the food chain has only 3 to 4 tropic levels.

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The ten percent law of

energy transfer in a food
chain is given by
Raymond Lindemann.
The ten percent law of
energy transfer states that
when the energy is
transferred from one
trophic level to another.
Only ten percent of energy
transfers to the next
trophic level and the ten
percent of that energy

NOTE: - One per cent law means green plants absorb only one per cent of sunlight and converts
into food energy. With this, only one per cent of energy will be passed on to the next trophic level.

level passes to the next energy and as a result there is a considerable decrease in the amount of
energy till it reaches the top most trophic level.

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Biomagnification, also known as bio amplification or biological magnification, Biological
magnification is the phenomenon in which harmful chemicals enter in the food chain and its
concentration increases at each tropic level.

The levels of biological magnification is different at different levels of the ecosystem. It will be
increases with each successive level. It is maximum at highest tropic levels and minimum at lowest
tropic levels. For example, it is highest in humans and lowest in autotroph like plants.

Managing Garbage, We Produce.

Types of materials in Garbage
(i) Biodegradable: Substances which can be decomposed by the action of micro-organisms are
called biodegradable wastes.
Example: fruit and vegetable peels, cotton, jute, dung, paper, etc.
(ii) Non-biodegradable wastes: Substances which cannot be decomposed by the action of
micro-organisms are called non-biodegradable wastes.
Example: plastic, polythenes, metals, synthetic fibres, radioactive wastes, pesticides etc.
→ Micro-organisms release enzymes which decompose the materials but these enzymes are
specific in their action that’s why enzymes cannot decompose all the materials.

 Some measures to control the changes in the environment include inculcating the famous three
R’s: reuse, recycle and reduce along with creating clean energy, fostering sustainable communities’
afforestation and defending endangered animals.

Garbage produced every day can be managed by using few techniques to control waste. 3R is an
initiative which can be used to minimize and manage waste generation, usage, and its disposal.
1. Reduce- This means to reduce the waste we generate.
2. Reuse- Items which can be reused should be done.
3. Recycle- According to this, waste items can be processed to make new useful items.

Some of the important modes of waste disposal are:

 Recycling
 Preparation of compost
 Incineration
 Landfill
 Sewage treatment

RECYCLING
 The solid wastes like paper, plastic and metals, etc. are recycled.
 For example, waste paper is sent to paper mills where it is reprocessed to form new paper once again.
 The broken plastic articles like plastic bags, buckets, bowls, cups, plates, are remolded to make new
articles.

PREPARATION OF COMPOST
 Biodegradable domestic wastes such as left-over food, fruit and vegetable peels, and leaves of potted
plants, etc. can be converted into compost by burying in a pit dug into ground, and used as manure.

INCINERATION
 ‘Incineration’ means ‘reducing to ashes’.
 The burning of a substance at high temperature (of more than 1000oC) to form ash is called incineration
is used to destroy household waste, chemical waste and biological waste (like that from hospitals.)

LANDFILL
 The disposal of wastes by putting it in low-lying areas of ground and covering it with earth is called
landfill.

SEWAGE TREATMENT
 The dirty drain water containing urine and faeces which is carried from our homes by the underground
pipes (called sewers) is called sewage.
 Sewage is disposed of by treating it at sewage treatment plant. The treatment of sewage produces clean
water which is discharged into the river.
Ozone layer
→ Ozone layer is a protective blanket around the earth which absorbs most of the harmful UV
(ultraviolet) radiations of the sunlight, thus protecting living beings from many health hazards
such as skin cancer, cataract, destruction of plants etc.

→ Ozone (O3) layer is present at higher levels of atmosphere (i.e. stratosphere). It is a deadly
poison at ground level.
The harmful effects of ozone depletion on man, animals and plants includes:
 Incidences of skin cancer and herps.
 Damage to eye sight, photoburning as well as increased incidences of cataract in eyes.
 Damage to immune system and hence lowering the body’s resistance to disease.
 Increased embryonic mortality.
 10-25% decline of photosynthesis in plants.
Global warming.
Formation of ozone molecule
(i) The high energy UV radiations break down the O2 molecules into free oxygen (O) atoms.
O ------------> O + O (atoms)
(ii) These oxygen atoms then combine with oxygen (O 2) molecule to form the ozone molecule.
O2 + O ----------> O3
Depletion of ozone layer
→ It is linked to excessive use of synthetic chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) which are used in refrigerators, ACs, fire-extinguishers, aerosols sprays etc.

→ United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) succeeded in forging an agreement to stop

CFC production at 1986 levels (KYOTO PROTOCOL) by all countries.
Ecosystem
→ All the interacting organisms in an area together with the non-living constituents of the
environment form an ecosystem. E.g., forest, pond etc.
Types of ecosystem
(i) Natural ecosystem: The ecosystem which exist in nature on its own. Example: forest, lake,
ocean.
(ii) Artifical ecosystem: Man-made ecosystems are called artificial ecosystem. Example: crop field,
aquarium, garden.
Components of Ecosystem
(i) Abiotic Components: All the non-living components such as air, water, land, light,
temperature etc. form the abiotic components.

(ii) Biotic Components: All the living components such as plants, animals, bacteria, fungi etc.
form the biotic components.
Questions
Q) List two biotic components of a biosphere. (Delhi 2016)

Q) In a food chain of frog, grass, insect and snake, assign trophic level to frog. (AI 2016)

Q) Why do producers always occupy the first trophic level in every food chain? (Foreign 2016)

A)Producers are the green plants that can manufacture food using CO 2 and H2O in the presence of sunlight,
i.e., they are autotrophs. They serve as a source of food for all non-producers or consumers directly or
indirectly. Hence, producers occupy the first trophic level in a food chain.
Q) The following organisms form a food chain. Which of these will have the highest concentration of non-
biodegradable chemicals? Name the phenomenon associated with it. Insects, Hawk, Grass, Snake, Frog.

Q) Bacteria and fungi are called decomposers. Why? (Delhi 2012, Foreign 2011)

Q) In a food chain, if 10,000 joules of energy is available to the producer, how much energy will be available
to the secondary consumer to transfer it to the tertiary consumer? (AI 2012)

Q) Consider the following food chain which occurs in a forest: Grass → Deer → Lion
If 10000 J of solar energy is available to the grass, how much energy would be available to the deer to
transfer it to the lion? (Foreign 2012)

Q) What is meant by biological magnification? (AI 2011)

Q) What are decomposers? List two important roles they play in the environment. (AI 2014)

Q) What does a trophic level represent in a food chain? State the position of autotrophs and herbivores in a
food chain. (Delhi 2013C)

Q) (a) From the following group of organisms create a food chain which is most advantageous for human
beings in terms of energy.
Hawk, Rat, Cereal plant, Goat, Snake, Human being
(b) State the possible disadvantage if the cereal plant is growing in soil rich in pesticides.
(c) Construct a food web using the organisms mentioned above. (2020)

Q) (a) Create a food chain of the following organisms.

Insect, Hawk, Grass, Snake, Frog
(b) Name the organism at the third trophic level of the created food chain.
(c) Which organism of this food chain will have the highest concentration of non- biodegradable chemicals?
(d) Name the phenomenon associated with it.
(e) If 10,000 Joules of energy is available to frogs, how much energy will be available to snakes in this food
chain? (2020)

Q) (a) What is an ecosystem?

(b) List any two natural ecosystems.
(c) We do not clean ponds or lakes but an aquarium needs to be cleaned regularly. Why? (2020)

Q) What is meant by trophic level in a food chain? Construct a terrestrial food chain with trophic levels. The
energy flow in a food chain is always unidirectional. Why? (2020)

Q) (a) Construct a terrestrial food chain comprising four trophic levels.

(b) What will happen if we kill all organisms in one trophic level?
(c) Calculate the amount of energy available to the organisms at the fourth trophic level. If the energy
available to the organisms at the second trophic level is 2000 J. (2020)

Q) The depletion of ozone layer is a cause of concern. Why? (AI 2016)

Q) What is the function of ozone in the upper atmosphere? (Delhi 2015, Foreign 2012)

Q) Why should biodegradable and non- biodegradable wastes be discarded in two separate dustbins? (Delhi
2015, 2013)

Q) Differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances with the help of one example
each. List two changes in habit that people must adopt to dispose non-biodegradable waste, for saving the
environment. (A I2015, Delhi 2013C)

Q) What is ozone ? How and where is it formed in the atmosphere ? Explain how does it affect an
ecosystem. (Foreign 2015)