What happens to most energy at each trophic level?

At each trophic level, energy is lost primarily through metabolic processes as heat, respiration, and waste. Typically, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next, while the remaining 90% is dissipated and not available to higher levels in the food chain. This loss of energy limits the number of trophic levels that can be supported in an ecosystem. As a result, higher trophic levels tend to have fewer individuals and are less energetically efficient.