Based on the ecological pyramid rule, determine how much phytoplankton, protists and small animals

Based on the ecological pyramid rule, determine how much phytoplankton, protists and small animals are needed for a dolphin weighing 400 kg to grow and exist in the Black Sea.

According to the rule of the ecological pyramid, only 10% of the energy goes to the next trophic level.

1) Simply put, a dolphin needs to eat 10 times this amount (100%) to gain 400 kg (10%).

400 * 10 = 4000 kg (4 tons) of small animals.

2) Small animals, in turn, have to eat 10 times more protists to achieve such biomass:

4 * 10 = 40 tons.

3) Protists need 10 times more phytoplankton:

40 * 10 = 400 tons.