5000 Kcal of energy does clam get from eating the plankton.
Step-by-step explanation:
At each trophic level only 10 % of the existing energy of the organism is transferred to the other level or upper level in food pyramid. This is termed as 10% energy rule.
Information given:
Manta ray eats starfish and gets 50 Kcal of energy.
how much energy does clam get from eating planktons =?
planktons as zooplanktons are the primary consumer in the marine food web
so clam is secondary consumer manta ray is tertiary consumer.
50 Kcal is the net energy at tertiary level
so at secondary level the energy would have been
500 Kcal
50000 Kcal at primary consumer level (plankton)
so when plankton is eaten by clamp
10 % of 50000
x 50000
= 5000 Kcal of energy clam gets from plankton.