Step 1: Identify the trophic levels in the food chain.
The given food chain is:
Sunlight → Grass → Zebra → Crocodile → Vulture.
Trophic levels are:
• Sunlight – source of energy.
• Grass – producer (1st trophic level, transducer level).
• Zebra – primary consumer (2nd trophic level).
• Crocodile – secondary consumer (3rd trophic level).
• Vulture – tertiary consumer (4th trophic level).
Step 2: Apply the 10% law of energy transfer.
According to the 10% law (Lindeman’s law), only about 10% of energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next level, while the remaining energy is lost as heat and metabolic activities.
Step 3: Calculate energy at the third trophic level.
Energy at the 4th trophic level (Vulture) = 4 J.
Since this represents 10% of the energy of the previous level:
Energy at the 3rd trophic level (Crocodile):
\[
4 \times 10 = 40 \text{ J}
\]
Step 4: Calculate energy at the second trophic level.
Energy at the 2nd trophic level (Zebra):
\[
40 \times 10 = 400 \text{ J}
\]
Step 5: Calculate energy at the producer (transducer) level.
Energy at the producer level (Grass):
\[
400 \times 10 = 4000 \text{ J}
\]
Step 6: Calculate energy at the sunlight level.
Only about 1% of solar energy is captured by producers during photosynthesis.
\[
\text{Sunlight energy} = 4000 \times 100
\]
\[
= 400000 \text{ J}
\]
Final Answer:
Energy at the transducer (producer) level = 4000 J.
Energy at the sunlight level = 400000 J.