Lindeman’s 10% law is the classic rule that about 10% of energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next. The rest is lost as heat, excretion, or unused biomass. Measured efficiencies are often 5–20%.

Can I use biomass instead of energy?

Yes. Choose g dry mass / m² or kg / ha. The same transfer math applies as long as the unit is consistent from producers through the top level.

Why do energy pyramids stay upright?

Transfer efficiency is always below 100%, so energy decreases at every step. Energy pyramids therefore cannot invert, even when number or biomass pyramids sometimes do.

How many trophic levels can I show?

You can show 3 to 6 levels (T1 producers through T6). Food chains longer than about five levels are rare because energy decays so quickly.

What does the calculator output?

Per-level energy or biomass in your chosen unit, each level as a percent of the producer base, losses at each transfer, and an upright pyramid with a level-by-level table.

Elysia Tools

Navigation

Health

Biomass Pyramid & Energy Flow (10% Law)

Trophic pyramid from producer energy and transfer efficiency: per-level energy, % of base, losses, and why energy pyramids stay upright.

Execution

Run this tool

Fill in the form, run the tool, and review the result in one place.

Prepared example runs

Click an example to fill the form automatically. File inputs still need an upload.

2 examples

20,000 kJ/m²/yr at 10% across 5 levels → 2000 / 200 / 20 / 2

A textbook grassland: producers fix 20,000 kJ/m²/yr, and with 10% transfer the herbivores get 2,000, first predators 200, second predators 20, and top predators just 2 kJ/m²/yr — 0.01% of the base. The SVG pyramid and the energy-budget table show every level plus the ~90% lost as heat at each transfer.

{
  "type": "html"
}

5,000 kcal/m²/yr at a productive 15% across 4 levels → 750 / 112.5 / 16.875

A highly productive ecosystem transferring 15% per level (upper end of the measured 5–20% range): producers at 5,000 kcal/m²/yr support 750 at T2, 112.5 at T3, and 16.875 at T4 — even a favorable pyramid keeps only 0.34% of the base at the top after three transfers.

{
  "type": "html"
}

Inputs

Set the required fields, then run the tool.

4 options

SettingsAdjust formats, ranges, numbers, and modes.4

Producer energy/biomass (trophic level 1)numberRequiredEnergy fixed (or standing biomass) at the producer level — any consistent unit.UnitselectRequiredTrophic transfer efficiency (%)numberRequiredShare of energy passed to the next level. Lindeman's classic value is 10%; measured values are typically 5–20%.Trophic levels to shownumberRequiredFrom producers (T1) up to T6. Food chains longer than 5 levels are rare precisely because of the energy decay.

Result

Ready for a run

Run the tool to preview files, text, structured data, or streamed output here.

Samples

Biomass Pyramid & Energy Flow (10% Law)

Run this tool

Prepared example runs

Inputs

Result

Examples that match this tool

Continue with connected tools and hubs

Prepared example runs

Inputs

Result

Learn when to use this tool, what it supports, and how real users apply it.

Key facts

Overview

When to use

How it works

Use cases

Examples

1. Grassland energy pyramid at 10% across 5 levels

2. Productive ecosystem at 15% across 4 levels

FAQ

Test Pyramid Examples - Testing Strategy Guide

SVG Samples

Web Image Processing Python Samples

D3.js Data Visualization Samples

Chinese Stroke Order Decomposer

CSS Gradient Mesh Generator (Conic + Radial Blend)

Glassmorphism CSS Snippet Builder

Kepler Orbit Solver

Population Ecology, Biodiversity, and Food Web Calculators

SVG, Favicon, and Icon Asset Workflow Tools

Audio Encoding and Format Conversion Tools

Image Format Conversion and Animated Export Tools

3. Standing biomass pyramid with default 10% and 4 levels