Trophic level is a feeding position in an ecosystem food web or chain or a step in a nutrient series. Groups of organisms classified into these levels based on their feeding behavior and overall aquatic ecosystem have no more than seven trophic levels within a food chain. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay These trophic levels can be illustrated by the trophic pyramid, and organisms are grouped according to the role they play in the food web. The first level which is the primary producers form the base of the trophic pyramid. Primary producers are capable of producing their own food or are described as autotrophs and convert the sun's energy into food energy through the process of photosynthesis. Examples of aquatic primary producers are phytoplankton and algae. The second trophic levels of aquatic ecosystems are the herbivorous consumers such as zooplankton and clams that consume the primary producers. First-level carnivorous consumers form the third trophic level which includes the juvenile stages of larger animals such as fish and jellyfish, as well as small fish, crustaceans, and starfish. This third trophic level consumes zooplankton and clams. The next is the fourth trophic level which is the second level carnivorous consumers include the larger fishes which consume the small fishes, jellyfish, crustaceans and starfish. The largest fish eaten by the fifth trophic level, the third level of carnivorous consumers and examples of this level are squid and octopus. Finally, the sixth trophic level at the top of the trophic pyramid are sharks, dolphins and albatrosses which are the main carnivores or apex predators. In the trophic levels of the aquatic ecosystem, not all top predators live in water. Decomposers, primarily bacteria that break down dead organisms, exist at every trophic level. They play an important role in the nutrient release process to support producers and consumers who feed themselves by absorbing organic material into the water column while breaking down waste or dead tissue. Trophic level Where you get your food First trophic level: primary producers. Produces its own food (autotrophic) Phytoplankton, algae. 2nd trophic level: herbivorous consumers (primary consumers) Consume zooplankton producers, clams. 3rd trophic level: first level carnivorous consumers (secondary consumers) Consume primary consumers. Juvenile stages of fish and jellyfish, small fish, crustaceans and starfish. 4th trophic level: second level carnivorous consumers (tertiary consumers) Consume secondary consumers. Bigger fish. 5th Trophic Level: third level carnivorous consumers (quaternary consumers). Consume tertiary consumers. Squid, octopus, larger fish. 6th trophic level: higher carnivore (quinary consumers) Consumes quaternary consumers. Shark, dolphin, albatross. Ecological efficiency of aquatic ecosystems Ecological efficiency is defined as the transfer of energy between trophic levels or in other words it is the efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to subsequent trophic levels. There are two important physical laws in the study of energy flow through the ecosystem. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can only pass from one form to another. The sun is the source of energy absorbed by primary producers where it is converted into stored chemical energy for the functioning of an ecosystem. The second law of thermodynamics states that whenever energy is transformed,energy loss occurs through the release of heat, and energy loss also occurs during breathing and movement. Energy loss occurs when energy is transferred between trophic levels where more and more energy is lost as one moves up through trophic levels as one animal feeds on another animal. In aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton carry out the majority of the photosynthesis that occurs. Most primary phytoplankton production is consumed and used for energy because phytoplankton are small organisms with simple structures. Even though phytoplankton are small, they grow very quickly and support large populations of herbivores. This is why aquatic ecosystems can support more trophic levels than terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems usually have higher efficiency than terrestrial ecosystems because a greater proportion of ectotherms and producers such as algae lack ligin. The diagram above on the right side shows the ecological efficiency of the aquatic trophic level as an average of 10% of the energy transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level. Phytoplankton, the primary producers with 1000 energy units, decreased by 10% to 100 energy units for herbivores. Continuously decreasing 10% energy at 10 units, 1 unit, and 0.1 energy units for carnivorous zooplankton, carnivorous fish, and tuna. The diagram on the left side also shows the same but with four trophic levels. Primary producers with 1000 units of energy transfer 10% to 100 units of energy for herbivores. Continuously decreasing 10% energy to 10 units and 1 energy unit for first order carnivores and up to second order carnivores. All consumers as they move from one trophic level to another trophic level differ in their nutritional relationship with the producer. The energy that is transmitted along a food chain or web from lower to higher trophic levels varies from 5 to 20%, on average 10% of the energy at one level available at the next trophic level. The remaining 90% of energy is used for metabolic processes or released as heat to the environment. Each trophic level loses energy, so it is often illustrated as a triangle with primary producers forming the base. The more trophic levels there are, the less energy is stored at higher trophic levels. Each trophic level supports a smaller number of organisms because on average only 10% of an organism's energy is transferred to its consumer. For example, in the aquatic trophic level, a higher level consumer such as shark or tuna is supported by millions of primary producers such as phytoplankton from the base of the trophic pyramid or food web. The measurement of energy transfer efficiency between two successive trophic levels is referred to as the trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) and is defined by the formula: Trophic level transfer efficiency is a measure of how much energy occurs at one level divided by the energy at the lower level multiplied by one hundred. Ecological efficiency describes the efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to subsequent trophic levels and determined by a combination of efficiencies related to the acquisition and assimilation of organismal resources in an ecosystem. Trophic efficiency incorporates three types of efficiency. The first is the percentage of available energy that is consumed, known as consumption efficiency. Secondly, the proportion of ingested food that is assimilated or assimilation efficiency and thirdly is the proportion of assimilated food that forms new consumption biomass, known as production efficiency. Keep in mind: this is.