Q51. Imagine a community with a single predator, three herbivores, and five prim

Question

Q51. Imagine a community with a single predator, three herbivores, and five primary producers (nine species total). How many food web links are theoretically possible? That is, how many links are possible if each species is able to feed on every species in the community? Q52. Imagine again this hypothetical community with a single predator, three herbivores, and five primary producers. Assume that the top predator only eats herbivores, that each herbivore eats every plant species but only eats plants, and that the plants do not eat anyone. In other words, assume there is no omnivory or cannibalism. Use this information to calculate the connectance of the system. (Hint: To answer this, you first need to calculate the number of links in this community, which is most easily done if you sketch the food web).

Explanation / Answer

Each herbivore can feed on 5 primary producers

So, 5*3 = 15 links.

A single predator can feed on 3 herbivores, and 5 primary producers. New combination of links is not possible as the predator only feeds on 5 different primary producers.

So, 15*1= 15 links.

Predator can feed on 5 primary producers

So, 15+5 = 20 links are possible.

A herbivore can feed on a predator

So, 3*1=3 links are possible

Total of 20+3 = 23 links.

A primary producer can feed on and 3 herbivores and 1 predator

So, (3+1)*5

= 4*5

= 20

Now the total links are 20+23 = 43 links.

A herbivore can consume 2 other herbivores

So, 2*3 = 6 links

A primary producer can consume 4 other primary producers

So, 4*5 = 20 links

So, Total number of links = 43+6+20

= 69 links

4) In the second case only 15 links are possible.

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