Question

n a specific food chain, rabbits eat clover, foxes eat rabbits, and eagles eat foxes. If the clover population contained 870 calories, how many of the calories found in the clover population would be available to contribute to the growth of the eagle population?

Answer 1

In the given food chain, we have the following levels:

1. **Clover** (producers)
2. **Rabbits** (primary consumers)
3. **Foxes** (secondary consumers)
4. **Eagles** (tertiary consumers)

Typically, in an ecological food chain, only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is passed on to the next level. This is known as the "10% rule" of energy transfer.

1. **From Clover to Rabbits:**
- Clover has 870 calories.
- The energy transferred to the rabbits would be 10% of 870 calories.
- Energy available to rabbits = 870 * 0.10 = 87 calories.

2. **From Rabbits to Foxes:**
- Only 10% of the energy from rabbits will be transferred to the foxes.
- Energy available to foxes = 87 * 0.10 = 8.7 calories.

3. **From Foxes to Eagles:**
- Again, only 10% of the energy from foxes will be transferred to the eagles.
- Energy available to eagles = 8.7 * 0.10 = 0.87 calories.

Therefore, the total calories from the clover population that would be available to contribute to the growth of the eagle population is **0.87 calories**.