What percentage of energy is typically passed on to the next trophic level according to the energy pyramid?

In an energy pyramid, it is commonly understood that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next level. This phenomenon occurs due to the significant loss of energy at each level, primarily through metabolic processes, heat loss, and inefficiencies in the transfer of energy.

As organisms consume food, they use a portion of the energy to carry out various life processes such as respiration, movement, and growth. Only the remaining energy that contributes to growth and reproduction is available to the next trophic level. This is why, when you explore the levels of an ecosystem—from producers at the base to herbivores and then to carnivores—the biomass and energy decrease significantly as you move up the pyramid.

For context, if 100% of energy is available at the producer level (like plants), about 10% is typically transferred to primary consumers (herbivores), and even less energy is available to secondary consumers (carnivores that eat herbivores) and tertiary consumers. This 10% rule highlights the limits of energy flow in ecosystems, emphasizing the efficiency of energy transfer and the need for large populations of primary producers to support the food web.