Using the ten percent rule, determine how many kilocalories of energy the tertiary consumer tuna will receive.

Algae Shrimp Lantern Fish Tuna
135,000 Kcal


(1 point)
Responses

135 Kcal
135 Kcal

1,350 Kcal
1,350 Kcal

13,500 Kcal
13,500 Kcal

135,000 Kcal

1 answer

The ten percent rule in ecology states that when energy is passed from one trophic level to the next, only about ten percent of the energy is transferred.

In this case, the energy available at each trophic level is as follows:

  1. Algae (Primary producer) = 135,000 Kcal
  2. Shrimp (Primary consumer) = 10% of 135,000 Kcal = 13,500 Kcal
  3. Lantern Fish (Secondary consumer) = 10% of 13,500 Kcal = 1,350 Kcal
  4. Tuna (Tertiary consumer) = 10% of 1,350 Kcal = 135 Kcal

Therefore, the amount of energy the tertiary consumer tuna will receive is 135 Kcal.

So, the correct response is 135 Kcal.