Question
In a square kilometer of the meadow ecosystem, mice consume 125,000 kcal of grasses per year. About how much energy is available to hawks per square kilometer per year?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
To estimate how much energy is available to hawks per square kilometer per year from the energy consumed by mice, we can use a general understanding of energy transfer in ecosystems.
In an ecological pyramid, approximately 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level. This is known as the 10% Rule. If mice (primary consumers) consume 125,000 kcal of grasses (producers) per square kilometer per year, then we can estimate the energy available to hawks (secondary consumers) as follows:
1. Calculate 10% of the energy consumed by mice:
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 0.10 \times \text{Energy consumed by mice}
\]
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 0.10 \times 125,000 \, \text{kcal}
\]
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 12,500 \, \text{kcal}
\]
So, approximately **12,500 kcal per square kilometer per year** is available to hawks in the meadow ecosystem.
In an ecological pyramid, approximately 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level. This is known as the 10% Rule. If mice (primary consumers) consume 125,000 kcal of grasses (producers) per square kilometer per year, then we can estimate the energy available to hawks (secondary consumers) as follows:
1. Calculate 10% of the energy consumed by mice:
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 0.10 \times \text{Energy consumed by mice}
\]
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 0.10 \times 125,000 \, \text{kcal}
\]
\[
\text{Energy available to hawks} = 12,500 \, \text{kcal}
\]
So, approximately **12,500 kcal per square kilometer per year** is available to hawks in the meadow ecosystem.