Energy flow of the macrozoobenthic community mainly composed of chironomids, ga stropods and oligichaetes in a macrophytic lake, Biandantang Lake (Hubei, China) was investigated by a combination of field and laboratory data from April, 1996 to March, 1997. The estimated consumption of the community was 2119.5 kJ·m -2·a -1; defecation was 1642.1 kJ·m -2·a -1; respiration 3 89.7 kJ·m -2·a -1; excretion 34.6 kJ·m -2·a -1 and pro duction 53.1 kJ·m -2·a -2. The assimilation efficiency of the commu...