How do energy pyramids help illustrate energy transfer in ecosystems?

• A. They show that energy increases at higher trophic levels
• B. They show that energy decreases at each trophic level, with fewer available to higher levels
• C. They show that all organisms have the same amount of energy
• D. They show energy is created at higher trophic levels

Answer: (B)

Energy pyramids show how energy moves from one part of the ecosystem to another and how much energy is available at each step. The base of the pyramid is the producers, which capture sunlight and store energy. As energy moves up to herbivores, then to carnivores, a lot of it is used for life processes or lost as heat, so only a small portion gets passed on to the next level. That’s why higher levels have much less energy to work with, and the pyramid narrows the further you go up. In simple terms, energy decreases at each trophic level, and there’s less energy available to higher levels.