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Correct Answer: most of the nutrients and energy in the grazing herbivores are lost before the lions can get them
in ecological systems, the relationship between predators and their prey is governed by a series of energy transfers, and the efficiency of these transfers profoundly impacts population dynamics. herbivores, such as gazelles and zebras, consume primary producers like grass, which convert solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. however, when herbivores use this stored energy, a significant portion is expended on daily activities including movement, growth, and metabolic processes. consequently, only a small fraction of the energy initially captured by the grass is stored in the bodies of herbivores.
lions, as apex predators, rely on these herbivores for their energy intake. when a lion consumes a herbivore, it only gains access to the energy that remains in the herbivore's body. this energy represents only a fraction of what the herbivore originally obtained from plants. furthermore, the process of hunting itself is energy-intensive. lions expend a great deal of effort in stalking, chasing, and killing their prey, which further diminishes their net energy gain from each hunting endeavor.
due to these inefficiencies in energy transfer from one trophic level to the next, only a small percentage of the energy moves up the food chain. this phenomenon is described by the ecological concept of trophic efficiency, which generally suggests that only about 10% of the energy at one trophic level is transferred to the next level. this inefficiency necessitates a larger biomass of herbivores to support a much smaller biomass of carnivores, such as lions. thus, lions constitute a smaller proportion of the total biomass compared to herbivores in their environment.
the fact that only about 8% as many lions as grazing herbivores exist in the community can be explained by these principles of energy loss and trophic efficiency. the lions simply cannot sustain a larger population on the limited energy available from their prey, given the significant energy losses at each trophic transfer. this dynamic naturally limits the population size of apex predators while supporting a relatively larger population of herbivores, ensuring stability and balance within the ecosystem.
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