Introduction:
The laws of thermodynamics describe the transfer of energy in systems. The first law states that energy is conserved in the system and cannot be created nor destroyed. The second law states that with each transfer, some energy will be lost or dissipated as a less usable form. As energy moves through the trophic levels of an ecosystem, for example, its availability diminishes as it travels from producer to each level of consumer. With each movement up the pyramid, a common rule of thumb is that roughly 90% of the available energy is dissipated.
DISPLAY:
Select the display for the “Silver Springs Energy Pyramid”. The data presented on the diagram come from a study of the productivity of an actual ecosystem in Florida, USA. Hover over each bar to display the exact energy amount associated with each level in kcal/m2/yr.
Congratulations! You have completed this activity.