The table below shows information about how energy is transferred in a herbivorous mammal (koala) and an insectivorous reptile (gecko).
| Animal | Percentage of energy in food absorbed | Percentage of absorbed energy released by respiration | Percentage of absorbed energy assimilated into biomass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Koala (mammal) | 35.0% | 94.5% | 5.5% |
| Gecko (reptile) | 82.0% | 38.0% | 62.0% |
Suggest why the koala absorbs a lower percentage of energy from the food it eats than the gecko.
Suggest why the koala releases a much higher percentage of the absorbed energy by respiration than the gecko.
The data suggests that reptile production is highly energy-efficient compared to mammal production. Using your knowledge of energy transfer, suggest two ways in which the productivity of farmed cattle could be improved by a livestock farmer, explaining the biological reason for each.
