Why are fewer organism at the food chain?

Answer 1

That is because at each level (as you go up the food chain), less energy is available. This, in turn, is due to the fact that organisms use most of the energy for their own maintenance. Only a small percentage of the energy is stored in tissues such as muscles (meat) that are eaten by the next-higher level.

Answer 2

If there are more organisms at the top of the food chain than in anywhere lower in the food chain, it would upset the balance. Predators would hunt prey to extinction, and then the predators would starve, resulting in a widespread famine.

Answer 3

The 10% Rule. As energy passes through each trophic level in a food chain, less energy is passed on to each organism. For example, the producer (let's say kelp) produces 100% of energy.
The primary consumer (small fish) will only receive 10% of this energy.
The secondary consumer (larger fish) will then only receive 1% of the original energy produced by the kelp.


This is because energy is used by the organisms for bodily functions, and lost as heat energy.


Continuing with the 10% rule, if we added another consumer, they would only receive 0.1% of the kelp's energy.
THe further up a food chain an organism is, the more it will have to consume to gain its energy. This is why the numbers of organisms decreases.


I hope this helps :)

Answer 4

Because the size and appetite of the organisms increases thereby requiring more organisms below to sustain them. Likewise, a shortage of organisms at the bottom of the food chain can cause starvation and dwindling of organisms at the top of the food chain.

Answer 5

This is because there is less food for them to eat and they are more likely to die of starvation.

Answer 6

There are fewer animals at each succeeding level of a food chain because some of the animals eat them.

Answer 7

The organisms at the higher levels do not require less energy to as to organisms at lower levels

Answer 8

because it does :)