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A level biology ecosystem question help

Can anyone please help me with this ecosystem question. I don't understand how to do it. The mark scheme just says the answer is 110000

This question is about ecosystems in the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean.
Observe the food chain:
phytoplankton (producers) krill (shrimps etc.) small fish large fish seals
Table 21.1 shows the transfers of energy and the quantities of energy stored as biomasses for the food
chain. Magnitudes are given in kilojoules per square metre of sea surface per year.

Phytoplankton Krill Small fish Large fish Seals
Energy input, by
photosynthesis or
feeding
(kJ m−2 y−1) 900 80 11 1.4
Energy lost to
surroundings by
respiration
(kJ m−2 y−1) 180 64 8.8 1.2 0.105
Energy input converted
to biomass
(kJ m−2 y−1) 720 16 2.2 0.2 0.005
Biomass energy lost to
other consumers or
decomposers
(kJ m−2 y−1) 640 5 0.8 0.09 0.005
Table 21.1
i. For larger and less numerous organisms, such as the seal, it is more appropriate to record energy
flows per square kilometre.
Calculate the energy input to the seal population from large fish. Record your answer in kilojoules
per square kilometre of sea surface per year


The table has kind of been distorted so i will link the question. It is question 14:
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/pdf-pages/?pdf=https%3A%2F%2Fpmt.physicsandmathstutor.com%2Fdownload%2FBiology%2FA-level%2FTopic-Qs%2FOCR-A%2F6-Genetics-Evolution-and-Ecosystems%2FSet-C%2F6.3%2520Ecosystems%2520QP.pdf

Thank you so much for any help
Reply 1
inbox me full task details
I will be happy to help
what was the explanation for this question?
Reply 3
Original post by Elisabeth3210
Can anyone please help me with this ecosystem question. I don't understand how to do it. The mark scheme just says the answer is 110000

This question is about ecosystems in the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean.
Observe the food chain:
phytoplankton (producers) krill (shrimps etc.) small fish large fish seals
Table 21.1 shows the transfers of energy and the quantities of energy stored as biomasses for the food
chain. Magnitudes are given in kilojoules per square metre of sea surface per year.

Phytoplankton Krill Small fish Large fish Seals
Energy input, by
photosynthesis or
feeding
(kJ m−2 y−1) 900 80 11 1.4
Energy lost to
surroundings by
respiration
(kJ m−2 y−1) 180 64 8.8 1.2 0.105
Energy input converted
to biomass
(kJ m−2 y−1) 720 16 2.2 0.2 0.005
Biomass energy lost to
other consumers or
decomposers
(kJ m−2 y−1) 640 5 0.8 0.09 0.005
Table 21.1
i. For larger and less numerous organisms, such as the seal, it is more appropriate to record energy
flows per square kilometre.
Calculate the energy input to the seal population from large fish. Record your answer in kilojoules
per square kilometre of sea surface per year


The table has kind of been distorted so i will link the question. It is question 14:
https://www.physicsandmathstutor.com/pdf-pages/?pdf=https%3A%2F%2Fpmt.physicsandmathstutor.com%2Fdownload%2FBiology%2FA-level%2FTopic-Qs%2FOCR-A%2F6-Genetics-Evolution-and-Ecosystems%2FSet-C%2F6.3%2520Ecosystems%2520QP.pdf

Thank you so much for any help


first you should calculate the value for the missing box which can be found by adding "energy lost to surroundings by respiration" and "energy input converted to biomass" which is 0.105+0.005 = 0.11. But this is in meters squared so convert to kilometres squared by multiplying by 1x10^6 . so it would be 0.11 x 1000000 = 110000. Hope this helps :smile:

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