Primary Consumer Energy Flow

Objective
To investigate and track the flow of energy through tropic levels by calculating the energy
efficiencies of Vanessa cardui (painted lady butterflies) as energy is transferred from the food
medium into the butterfly larvae.

Prediction
Write a prediction about the energy efficiency of biomass (food to larvae)?

Procedure
1. See Student guides pages 3 to 4

Data Table - EXCEL

Control Larvae
Mass of Cup, Lid, and Paper Towel
Original Mass of Food Medium
Final Mass of Chrysalises N/A
Total Mass Loss
% Efficiency N/A

Date Control Control Cumulative Larvae Larvae Larvae Larvae Observations

Cup Daily Control Cup Daily Control Daily
mass mass Daily mass mass mass Daily mass
(g) Loss Loss (g) Loss mass Loss –
(g) (g) (g) Loss Control
(g) Daily
Mass
April 23,
2010

Graphs:

1. Daily Mass Loss of Culture Cups ( 2 lines)

2. Cumulative Mass Loss of Culture Cups (2 lines)
3. Larvae Daily Mass Loss Subtracting Control Daily Mass Loss

Analysis
1. What is the purpose of having a control in this experiment?
2. Why was the mass of the control subtracted from the mass loss of the cups with the
butterfly larvae?
3. Describe the significance of the two plots in the graph titled Cumulative Mass Loss of
Culture Cups.
4. Describe the amount for the general shape of the plot on the graph titled Larvae Daily
Mass Loss Subtracting Control daily Mass Loss.
5. Why was there a greater mass loss in the culture cups with the larvae than in the control
cups with no larvae?
Conclusion
1. What was the experimental efficiency of biomass transfer in this experiment? Is this
significantly close to the hypothetical efficiency delineated by the ecological rule of
thumb? Why or why not?
2. Describe any occurrences in this experiment that may have led to skewed results.

Application

1. The painted lady butterfly can be part of the following food chain that is typically found in
North America. Mallow leaves (food at 0.2 g per leaf), painted lady butterfly (0.5 g),
American Robin (77 g), domestic cat (5 kg). Assuming that 10 % loss from one trophic
level is transferred to the next higher level; calculate the number of robins, caterpillars
and mallow leaves that must be consumed to support one 5 kg domestic house cat in this
food chain.
2. Construct a biomass diagram depicting the food chain described in the above question.