The trophic level is a feeding position in an ecosystem food network or chain or a stage in a nutrient series. Groups of organisms classified into these levels based on their feeding behavior and generally 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 Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. These trophic levels can be illustrated by a food pyramid and organisms are grouped based on the role they play in the food web. The first level is the primary producers constitute the base of the trophic pyramid. Primary producers are capable of making their own food or are described as autotrophic and they convert energy from the sun into food energy through the process of photosynthesis. Examples of aquatic primary producers are phytoplankton and algae. The second trophic levels in aquatic ecosystems are the herbivorous consumers such as zooplankton and cockles which 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 the hulls. Next comes the fourth trophic level which is the second level carnivorous consumers include the larger fish which consume the smaller fish, jellyfish, crustaceans and starfish. The largest fish consumed 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 consists of the shark, dolphin and albatross, which are the main carnivores or apex predators. In the trophic levels of the aquatic ecosystem, not all major predators live in water. Decomposers, primarily bacteria that break down dead organisms, exist at all trophic levels. They play an important role in the nutrient release process to support producers and consumers who feed by absorbing organic matter in the water column while breaking down waste or dead tissue. Trophic level Where is food found 1st trophic level: Primary producers. Makes its own food (autotrophic) Phytoplankton, algae.2nd Trophic Level: Herbivorous consumers (primary consumers) Consumes producers Zooplankton, cockles.3rd Trophic Level: First-level carnivorous consumers (secondary consumers) Consumes 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) Consumes tertiary consumers. Squid, octopus, larger fish.6th Trophic Level: Top carnivore (quinary consumers) Consumes quaternary consumers. Shark, dolphin, albatross.Ecological efficiency of aquatic ecosystemsEcological efficiency defined as the transfer of energy between trophic levels or in other words is the efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to trophic levels following. There are two important physical laws in the studyof energy flow through the ecosystem. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed and can only change 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, there is a loss of energy through the release of heat and a loss of energy also occurs during respiration and movement. Energy loss occurs when energy is transferred between trophic levels, where more and more energy is lost as one moves up in trophic levels when one animal feeds on another animal . In aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton carry out most of the photosynthesis that occurs. Most of the primary production of phytoplankton is consumed and used as energy because phytoplankton are small organisms with simple structures. Although phytoplankton are small, they grow very quickly and support large populations of herbivores. This is the reason why aquatic ecosystems can support more trophic levels than terrestrial ecosystems. Aquatic ecosystems generally have higher efficiency than terrestrial ecosystems because a higher proportion of ectotherms and producers like algae lack ligin. The diagram above on the right side shows the ecological efficiency of the aquatic trophic level averaging 10 percent of the energy transferred from a trophic level. level to another trophic level. Phytoplankton, the primary producer with 1,000 energy units, declined 10 percent at 100 energy units for herbivores. Continuous 10 percent energy decrease at 10 units, 1 unit, and 0.1 energy units for carnivorous zooplankton, carnivorous fish, and tuna. The diagram on the left also shows the same thing, but with four trophic levels. Primary producers with 1,000 energy units transferred 10 percent at 100 energy units to herbivores. Continuous 10 percent energy decrease at 10 units and 1 unit of energy for first-order carnivores and up to second-order carnivores. All consumers, as they move from one trophic level to another, differ in their nutritional relationship with the producer. The energy transmitted along a food chain or web from lower to higher trophic levels ranges from 5 to 20 percent, or on average 10 percent of the energy from one level available to the trophic level following. The remaining 90 percent of the 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 present, the less energy is retained 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, at the aquatic trophic level, a higher level consumer like shark or tuna is supported by millions of primary producers such as phytoplankton at the base of the trophic pyramid or food web. The measure of the efficiency of energy transfer between two successive trophic levels is called as trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) and is defined by the formula: Trophic level transfer efficiency is a measure of the amount of energy produced at one level divided by the energy at the lower level multiplied by one hundred. Efficiency.