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…~ 1 hawk A Red hawk in km2 Common Garter snake 7 breeding pairs km2 ~ …~ 14 snakes …~ 2000 mice …~ 14 snakes Approx 400 field mice and on average 5 different species in a km2 Lots of grass in a km2 of Canadian grassland 1.25 kg per hawk Garter snake 0.225 kg x 14 = 3.15 kg Mouse weighs 0.02 kg x 2000 mice = 40 kg 33 000 Kg of grass in km2 1.25 x 10% = 0.125 kg of carbon 3.15 kg x 10% = 0.315 kg 40 kg x 10% = 4 kg of carbon 33 000 kg x 10% = 3300 kg of carbon •This explains why there is only 4 trophic levels in an ecosystem •0.125 kg of carbon is not enough material or energy to sustain the existence of an active predatory carnivore. •Lets assume that the organism that might be in a 5th trophic level is half as big as a hawk…what are the odds of a 0.65 kg predator catching and killing a Red hawk. •Even evolution might be hard pressed to create a physiological weapon that could allow this predator to succeed…not enough mass or energy!