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Second Law of Thermodynamics or Energy Flow - Second Law of Thermodynamics or energy flow, states that no system will remain orderly, or survive, unless it receives a continuous supply of energy. The second law of energy flow allows for no exceptions.
At each step in the flow of energy from one organism to another-from one trophic level to another-a great amount of potential chemical energy (food) is converted or degraded to heat to enable a small part to be reestablished as potential chemical energy (new protoplasm) in order to maintain the life of that second organism. The natural tendency, therefore, is for all light and chemical energy to eventually be degraded to and distributed evenly as heat energy. This transformation of energy from a concentrated state to a dispersed state comprises the Second Rule; it is known as the Second Law of Thermodynamics.

See "Laws of Energy in Nature"