Biology: Life on Earth (11th Edition)
11th Edition
ISBN: 9780134168296
Author: Gerald Audesirk, Teresa Audesirk, Bruce E. Byers
Publisher: PEARSON
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Textbook Question
Chapter 29, Problem 4RQ
Name the first three trophic levels. Among the consumers, which are most abundant? Use the “10% law” to explain why you would predict that there will be a greater biomass of plants than herbivores in an ecosystem.
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Hypothetical balanced food chain. Sun and Earth supply 6 units of energy to each plant. For higher tropic levels, individuals consume 2 units of energy each before passing the remainder to the next trophic level. The number of individuals in each trophic level is given below. Complete the table below by computing for the number of energy units in each column.
Trophic Levels
No. Individuals in Each Trophic Level
No. of Units Received from Trophic Level Above
No. Units Used / Individual (Resp)
No. Units Used in Trophic Level
No. Units Remaining & Passed on to Next Trophic Level
Mean No. Units Available per Individual in Trophic Level
SUN +E = 6
1) Plants
30
180
2
2) Grasshopper
19
2
3) Frog
12
2
4) Snake
8
2
5) Owl
4
2
When hunting disrupts the balance in the food chain by removing all owls, there will be no predators on snakes, leading to their increase in numbers.
Considering the scenario where the number of lost owls (4) is replaced by snakes, compute for energy units following in completing the table below.
Trophic Levels
No. Individuals in Each Trophic Level
No. of Units Received from Trophic Level Above
No. Units Used / Individual (Resp)
No. Units Used in Trophic Level
No. Units Remaining & Passed on to Next Trophic Level
Mean No. Units Available per Individual in Trophic Level
SUN +E = 6
1) Plants
30
2
2) Grasshopper
19
2
3) Frog
12
2
4) Snake
8 + 4 = 12
2
5) Owl
0
2
Hypothetical balanced food chain. Sun and Earth supply 6 units of energy to each plant. For higher tropic levels, individuals consume 2 units of energy each before passing the remainder to the next trophic level. The number of individuals in each trophic level is given below. Complete the table below by computing for the number of energy units in each column. Answer the following questions:
Discuss how the food chain works.
Where does each trophic component or level get its energy (food) from?
What is the ultimate source of energy for all components of the food chain?
Which component got the highest amount of available energy/individual?
Why do members of this component need the most energy?
Chapter 29 Solutions
Biology: Life on Earth (11th Edition)
Ch. 29 -
1. Which trophic level(s) must be present to...Ch. 29 - Prob. 2MCCh. 29 - Denitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrate...Ch. 29 -
4. Net primary production per unit area is likely...Ch. 29 - The effect of CO2 emissions from burning fossil...Ch. 29 -
1. Nearly all life gets its energy from _______...Ch. 29 -
2. Photosynthetic organisms are called either...Ch. 29 -
3. Feeding levels within ecosystems are also...Ch. 29 - In general, only about ______ percent of the...Ch. 29 - Prob. 5FTB
Ch. 29 -
6. During the nitrogen cycle, nitrogen gas is...Ch. 29 - Prob. 7FTBCh. 29 - Prob. 1RQCh. 29 -
2. What is a producer? What trophic level does it...Ch. 29 - 3. Define net primary production. Would you...Ch. 29 - Name the first three trophic levels. Among the...Ch. 29 - How do food chains and food webs differ? Which is...Ch. 29 - Define detritivore and decomposer and explain...Ch. 29 -
7. Trace the movement of carbon from one of its...Ch. 29 - Prob. 8RQCh. 29 - Trace a pathway of a phosphorus molecule from a...Ch. 29 -
1. Humans are omnivores who can feed on several...Ch. 29 - Discuss the contribution of human population...
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- Availability of energy is less for entities at higher trophic levels.Why?arrow_forwardConsidering the energy that is lost as heat to the environment when one organism consumes another, mention the correct order of the trophic levels ranked from greatest energy to least?arrow_forwardDesign a logical food-web model of the living things in a typical deciduous forest. Producers should form the bottom of the web, with primary consumers and secondary consumers in the middle of the web, and tertiary consumers at the top of the web. Detritivores can be found throughout the web. Draw lines between the organisms that directly interact with each other. Organisms may have more than one line drawn from them or to them. In your model, include the sun, and illustrate how heat is lost as energy transfers from one trophic level to the next. Producers: maple tree dogwood tree spicebush (flowering shrub) Jack-in-the-pulpit (flower) Primary Consumers: spicebush swallowtail butterfly honeybee carpenter ant Secondary Consumers: woodpecker garter snake flycatcher (inset-eating bird) Tertiary Consumers: falcon screech owl bobcat Detritivores: bacteria earthworms flies fungiarrow_forward
- Construct a biomass pyramid for the following hypothetical scenario. Be sure to include all four trophic levels in the pyramid, and provide the total biomass of living things found at each level. Be sure to include units, and label each trophic level. The shape of your pyramid should be based on the biomass of each trophic level. Levels with more biomass should be drawn wider, and levels with less biomass should be drawn thinner. Note that your biomass pyramid may or may not be a true pyramid. Scenario: Hickory Run Nature Reserve is a 150-acre conservation area filled with plants and animals native to the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. A baseline study was done to determine the total biomass of producers and consumers living on the reserve. Baseline data will be compared to data collected in future years to determine trends in species accumulation or loss. This comparison is important because the region surrounding the reserve is experiencing a high rate of human development…arrow_forwardUsing the concepts of trophic levels and energy flow, explain why the ecological footprint of a vegetarian person is smaller than that of a meat-eaterarrow_forwardWhich of the following is true of trophic relationships in an ecosystem? All energy in the food chain is ultimately transferred to top level carnivores Most of the useable energy transferred between trophic levels is maintained--very little is lost The trophic pyramid predicts that top level carnivores should have the least amount of biomass in an ecosystem Net productivity is typically a measure of over-all photosynthesis in an ecosystemarrow_forward
- An arctic tundra has a net primary productivity of 100 g m2 yr1 of C. Herbivores in the system ingest 33 g m2 yr1 of C, but then lose 26 g m2 yr1 of C through egestion and respiration, yielding an actual herbivore productivity of 5 g m2 yr1. What is the trophic efficiency (as a percentage) for this system? Your Answer: Answerarrow_forwardThe mass of living material at a trophic level at a particular time is called as what?arrow_forwardUsing the diagram of a food pyramid for reference, estimate the following: a. How many kilograms of plankton does it take to produce 25 kilograms of invertebrates? _____ kilograms of plankton b. How many kilograms of invertebrates does it take to produce 5 kilograms of fish? _____ kilograms of invertebratesarrow_forward
- Trophic Cascade Concept Map Primary Producers: Include at least two different types of primary producers (plants, algae, or other autotrophs) in the ecosystem. Herbivores: Identify herbivores that feed on the primary producers you chose or invented. Include 2 different species that might consume your primary producers Primary and/or Secondary Carnivores Introduce at least 2 carnivores that prey on herbivores or other carnivores. Demonstrate a cascading effect on the ecosystem. Biotic Interactions-Highlight various biotic interactions, such as mutualism, competition, and especially predation, among different organisms in the community.arrow_forwardWhich trophic level in an aquatic ecosystem would contain the greatest amount of usable energy? Primary consumers located 150 meters below sea level. Primary producers located 80 meters below sea level. Primary producers located 45 meters below sea level. Primary consumers located 40 meters below sea level.arrow_forwardIn an ocean ecosystem, the biomass of an algal community is approximately 3000 kilograms. It can support a food chain up to 4 levels. Considering an efficiency at an average of 10% in passing on energy from one trophic level to the next level, how much biomass of the fourth trophic level can be maintained.arrow_forward
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