Question

Net production efficiency (NPE) is defined as the product of 100 and the quotient of net consumer productivity and assimilation. If the invertebrate primary consumers of an ecosystem exhibit a NPE of about 20% and pass on about 1000 kcal/m2/yr to secondary consumers, what is the assimilation of the primary consumers?

A. 1000 kcal/m2/yrB. 2000 kcal/m2/yrC. 5000 kcal/m2/yr

Answer 1

The assimilation of the primary consumer is 5000 kcal/m2/yr, option C.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the information in the question, the Net Production Efficiency, NPE can be calculated using 100Cp/AS.

Where CP is the consumer productivity and AS is the Assimilation.

Therefore, 20 = 100 x 1000/AS

AS = 100,000/20 = 5000 kcal/m2/yr. Option C.