Answers to Analyzing Data 21.1 Questions
1. Plants (100); non-insect invertebrate herbivores (100 ? 0.209 = 20.9); small mammals (20.9 ? 0.015 = 0.31); large mammals (0.31 ? 0.031 = 0.01)
2. Algae (100); aquatic insect herbivores (100 ? 0.209 = 20.9); insect
predators (20.9 ? 0.556 = 11.62); fish (11.62 ? 0.098 = 1.14)
3.
Plants (100); large mammal herbivores (100 ? 0.031 = 3.1); large mammal predators (3.1 ? 0.031 = 0.10); large mammal predators (0.10 ? 0.031 = 0.003)4. Plants (100); insect herbivores (100 ? 0.388 = 38.8); insect predators (38.8 ? 0.556 = 21.57); insect predators (21.57 ? 0.556 = 11.99)
5. The trophic chains in numbers 2 and 4 have substantially greater energy available to support a fifth trophic level than do the other trophic chains, due to the higher production efficiencies of their component ectothermic consumers. In contrast, the trophic chains in numbers 1 and 3 include larger endotherms, with much lower production efficiencies, and it is unlikely that they could sustain a fifth trophic level.