The energy flow in the biospheric ecosystem is which of the following?

The correct answer is Unidirectional.

Key Points

• Energy flow in the biosphere is unidirectional, meaning it moves in one direction from the sun to producers and then to consumers and decomposers.
• The process starts with photosynthesis, where plants (producers) convert solar energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose.
• Herbivores (primary consumers) feed on plants, and this energy is transferred to higher trophic levels such as carnivores and omnivores.
• During each energy transfer, a significant portion of energy is lost as heat due to the second law of thermodynamics.
• Energy transfer follows the 10% law of energy flow, where only about 10% of the energy is passed on to the next trophic level.

Additional Information

• Producers: Organisms like plants, algae, and some bacteria that convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis.
• Trophic Levels: The hierarchical levels in an ecosystem, including producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, and decomposers.
• Second Law of Thermodynamics: States that during energy transfer, some energy is always lost as heat, leading to inefficiency in energy flow.
• 10% Law of Energy Flow: Proposed by Raymond Lindeman, it states that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is available to the next level.
• Decomposers: Organisms like fungi and bacteria that break down organic matter, releasing nutrients back into the environment but not transferring energy back to producers.