Ecology
Trophic Level
영양단계
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<speciesfyi-glossary slug="trophic-level"></speciesfyi-glossary>Definition
A position in a food chain determined by the number of energy-transfer steps from primary producers.
Detailed Explanation
The 10% energy rule between trophic levels explains why food chains rarely exceed five or six links. Herbivores occupy the second level, carnivores the third, and apex predators the fourth or fifth. Biomagnification of toxins like DDT and mercury intensifies at each level, making top predators — eagles, tuna, polar bears — most vulnerable to chemical pollution.