Tag: Apex predator

According to a study on sharks in Belize, nurse sharks recorded some of the highest muscle mercury levels among the species tested. This is not surprising, as their position as apex predators makes them a prime candidate for accumulating toxic heavy metals.

According to a comprehensive 2013 study analyzing diets across 170 countries, the average human trophic level is roughly 2.21, placing us much closer to pigs and anchovies than lions or sharks. This surprising statistic immediately challenges the common belief: are humans top-level consumers?

Approximately 90% of energy is lost as heat at each transfer between trophic levels. This inefficiency reveals a surprising answer to which consumer gets the most energy, highlighting the critical role of organisms closest to the primary producers.

Ecological studies show that only about 10% of energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next, a fact that dictates the structure of all food webs and significantly influences what it means to be at the 'top'. While the term is often associated with the mightiest hunters like lions and sharks, its scientific definition is more nuanced and complex, involving the interconnected dynamics of entire ecosystems.

Larger, predatory fish at the top of the marine food chain, such as sharks, are known to accumulate high levels of mercury, a process called biomagnification. The critical question for many consumers remains: Is shark fish high in mercury? The definitive answer, supported by numerous health advisories, is yes.