When a brown bear eats a salmon, does the bear acquire all the energy contained in the body of the fish?

Question

When a brown bear eats a salmon, does the bear acquire all the energy contained in the body of the fish? Why or why not? What implications do you think this answer would have for the relative abundance (by weight) of predators and their prey? Does the second law of thermodynamics help explain the title of the book Why Big, Fierce Animals Are Rare?

Answer 1

From a math viewpoint, energy expendedenergy rec'd, etc...
There's also this formula about how many acres it takes to feed a cow. Is it more efficient to eat the cow, or all the grains grown to feed her.

Answer 2

Since E=mc^2 and the salmon is not converted in to pure energy, the answer is no.

Also, the bear shits some of the salmon and that is definitely not converted into energy.

Answer 3

all animals have a less than perfect digestive system which means that some of the energy in their food is excreted. animals that eat meat absorb a greater part of it.
The ratio of predators to prayed animals must be low or the pray is all consumed and than the predator starves.

Answer 4

no 90 persent of the energy is lost with the energy it takes to digest the salmon.

Answer 5

Evidently not. Bear feces can be dried and burned, so some energy does not get used by the bear.

Answer 6

yes

then the dancing begins

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuLjuD3XrXI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2jtRWFOd04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A55CzcYl7qQ