how much energy does a fish get from the sun in an aquatic ecosystem
Fish do not directly obtain energy from the sun in an aquatic ecosystem. Instead, they rely on the transfer of energy through a food chain or food web. In an aquatic ecosystem, primary producers such as aquatic plants and algae utilize sunlight to convert it into energy through photosynthesis. This creates the foundation of the food chain as primary producers are consumed by herbivorous organisms, which in turn are consumed by carnivorous organisms, including fish.
The energy obtained by fish comes from the consumption of other organisms within the ecosystem. The amount of energy a fish receives indirectly from the sun depends on the efficiency of energy transfer between each trophic level in the food chain. Energy transfer between trophic levels is typically around 10%, meaning that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next. This is known as the 10% rule.
Therefore, if a fish consumes another organism that received around 10% of the energy from the sun, it will indirectly obtain approximately 1% of the energy originally captured by the primary producer. However, it's important to note that the specific amount of energy a fish receives will vary depending on the specific ecosystem and the food web dynamics within it.