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Trophic Efficiency

Trophic Efficiency

Trophic level transfer efficiency (TLTE) is a measure of the total energy transfer from one trophic level to the next. Due to extensive energy loss as metabolic heat, an average of only 10% of the original energy obtained is passed on to the next level. This pattern of energy loss severely limits the possible number of trophic levels in a food chain.

Diversity of Protists III

Diversity of Protists III

Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...

Speciation Rates

Speciation Rates

Trophic Levels

Trophic Levels

All organisms in an ecosystem occupy a trophic level in the food chain. The lowest level consists of primary producers, which synthesize their food from either solar or chemical energy. Each subsequent level obtains energy from the levels below. Detritivores can occupy any of the levels above primary producers.

Diversity of Protists II

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...

Diversity of Protists IV

Diversity of Protists IV

Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 20, 2025

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Published on: January 6, 2023

Trophic innovations fuel reef fish diversification.

Alexandre C Siqueira¹, Renato A Morais^2,3, David R Bellwood^2,3

¹ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, 4811, Australia. alexandre.siqueira@my.jcu.edu.au.

Nature Communications

|May 31, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Reef fish diversification is linked to trophic evolution and body size. Large, herbivorous fish show the highest diversification rates, suggesting trophic innovations drive evolutionary change.

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Multimodal Optical Microscopy Methods Reveal Polyp Tissue Morphology and Structure in Caribbean Reef Building Corals

Multimodal Optical Microscopy Methods Reveal Polyp Tissue Morphology and Structure in Caribbean Reef Building Corals

Published on: September 5, 2014

Area of Science:

Marine Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Ichthyology

Background:

Reef fishes exhibit high species diversity, but the primary drivers of their diversification are not fully understood.
Miocene reef changes may have influenced lineage diversification, yet the precise mechanisms require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the ecological and geographical factors influencing reef fish lineage origination patterns.
To assess the role of trophic identity and body size in reef fish diversification.

Main Methods:

Construction of near-complete reef fish phylogenies.
Analysis of ecological traits, including trophic level and body size, in relation to diversification rates.

Main Results:

Reef fish diversification is significantly correlated with species' trophic identity and body size.
Large-bodied herbivorous fishes exhibit the highest recent diversification rates, a pattern consistent over time.
Omnivory serves as an intermediate evolutionary stage, with planktivory being a frequent evolutionary endpoint.

Conclusions:

Trophic evolution, particularly innovations, is a crucial factor promoting reef fish diversification.
Miocene reef alterations likely influenced and were influenced by trophic innovations, underscoring the importance of trophic evolution in reef fish speciation.