Answer:
a. Approximately 1,003 weasels, 3,345 mice and 16,729 wheat plants per one hawk are in the ecosystem
Explanation:
The percentage of the weasel population eaten by a hawk = 30%
The percentage of the mouse population eaten by a weasel = 30%
The percentage of the wheat plants population eaten by a mice = 20%
a. One hawk needs 330 kJ of energy per day, which gives 330 kJ × 365 = 120,450 kJ per year
Let 'x' represent the number of weasels to support one hawk, we have;
0.3 × x = 120,450 kJ/year/(400 kJ) = 301.125
x = 301.125/0.3 = 1,003.75
The number of weasels required to support one hawk per year ≈ 1,003 weasels
The total weasels ≈ 1,003
ii) The number of mice needed, y = x/0.3 = 1,003.75/0.3 = 3,345.8
The total mice, y ≈ 3,345 mice
iii) The number of wheat flower needed, z = y/0.2
∴ The number of wheat flower needed, z = 3,345.8/0.2 ≈ 16,729.1
The total wheat plants ≈ 16,729.
