The table below shows information about how energy is transferred in a mammal (sheep) and a reptile (lizard).
| Animal | Percentage of energy in food absorbed | Percentage of absorbed energy released by respiration | Percentage of absorbed energy assimilated into biomass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sheep (mammal) | 40.0% | 91.5% | 8.5% |
| Lizard (reptile) | 78.0% | 42.0% | 58.0% |
Suggest why the sheep absorbs a lower percentage of energy from the food it eats than the lizard.
Suggest why the sheep releases a much higher percentage of the absorbed energy by respiration than the lizard.
The data suggests that reptile production is highly energy-efficient compared to farming sheep. Using your knowledge of energy transfer, suggest two ways in which the productivity of sheep could be improved by a farmer, explaining the biological reason for each.
