Energy requirement for the maintenance of body with successively higher trophic level

Options

A. Decreases
B. Increases
C. Remains same
D. Is always 10%

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Trophic Levels**:
- Trophic levels represent the different stages in a food chain, starting from producers (like plants) to primary consumers (herbivores), and then to secondary consumers (carnivores).

2. **Energy Transfer in Ecosystems**:
- According to the 10% law of energy transfer, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next level. This means that as you move up the trophic levels, energy diminishes significantly.

3. **Energy Requirements at Each Trophic Level**:
- At the producer level (first trophic level), energy is utilized for growth, reproduction, and maintenance. For example, if producers require 20% of energy for their maintenance, this energy is then transferred to herbivores.

4. **Energy Increase in Higher Trophic Levels**:
- As we move to the primary consumers (herbivores), their energy requirement increases to about 30%. This increase happens because they need more energy to sustain their body functions and to compensate for the energy lost during the transfer.

5. **Further Increase in Carnivores**:
- When we reach secondary consumers (carnivores), the energy requirement can further increase to around 60%. This is due to the higher metabolic demands of these organisms and the energy lost in the process of consumption and digestion.

6. **Conclusion**:
- Therefore, the energy requirement for the maintenance of the body increases with successively higher trophic levels. The correct answer to the question is that energy requirement increases.