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Suppose a plant is eaten by a mouse, the mouse is consumed by a snake, and the snake is in turn consumed by a hawk. What could be assumed about the level of available organic matter in the mouse versus the plant?
• There will be more organic matter available.
• Organic matter does not transfer between the plant and the mouse.
There will be less organic matter available.
They both have the same amount of organic matter.
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There will be less organic matter available.
Explanation: When the mouse eats the plant, only part of the plant's organic matter is converted into mouse biomass — much is lost as waste and metabolic heat (and respired CO2). Because of these losses, higher trophic levels contain less available organic matter/energy than the level below (roughly the "10% rule").
Explanation: When the mouse eats the plant, only part of the plant's organic matter is converted into mouse biomass — much is lost as waste and metabolic heat (and respired CO2). Because of these losses, higher trophic levels contain less available organic matter/energy than the level below (roughly the "10% rule").
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