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How much energy is typically transferred from one trophic level to the next?

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Zenaida macroura: mouring doves — ecology Mourning doves (*Zenaida macroura*) on their nest protected within the prickly branches of a cactus in the Sonoran Desert, Arizona, U.S.

In ecology, the transfer of energy between trophic levels is highly inefficient. While individual estimates can range between 5 and 25 percent, it is generally estimated that there is an average of only a 10 percent transfer of energy from one level to the next.1

This phenomenon, known as ecological efficiency, occurs because a significant portion of energy—often 80 to 90 percent—is lost as heat during metabolic processes, such as digestion and maintaining body temperature. Additionally, much of the energy stored in organisms is never consumed by the next level in the food chain; instead, it enters the detritus pathway.21

Because of these losses, the amount of available energy decreases significantly as one moves up the trophic pyramid, which is why ecosystems typically support fewer organisms at higher levels, such as carnivores, compared to primary producers.21