Relating to nutrition and feeding relationships in ecosystems, particularly the different levels of the food chain. Trophic levels classify organisms by their position in the energy flow from producers to top predators.
From Greek 'trophikos' meaning 'of or pertaining to nutrition', from 'trophe' (nourishment). The term entered ecology in the early 20th century when scientists began systematically studying energy flow in ecosystems.
Each trophic level typically contains only about 10% of the energy from the level below it, which is why there are so many more rabbits than wolves in nature! This energy pyramid explains why food webs can only support a few levels and why top predators are always rare.
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