In a stable woodland ecosystem, a wild fern community produces biomass at a rate of 750 g/m2/year750\text{ g/m}^2/\text{year}750 g/m2/year.
Assuming an average biomass transfer efficiency of 10% from producers to primary consumers, calculate the approximate rate of biomass from these ferns that becomes biomass in primary consumers. Give your answer in g/m2/year\text{g/m}^2/\text{year}g/m2/year.
Explain two reasons why a large proportion of the biomass produced by the ferns is not successfully transferred into the biomass of the primary consumers.
61 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Biology 7.4 Trophic levels in an ecosystem, covering 7.4.1 Trophic levels, 7.4.2 Pyramids of biomass, and 7.4.3 Transfer of biomass. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.