Name: __________________________________________ Date: _____________________________ Period: ________
Trophic Ecology of Humans
- Analysis Sheet
In the chart below, record all the foods you eat in one day into either plant food or animal food. Obviously,
some foods are mixed. Do the best job you can do to estimate what portion of the calories come from each area.
To determine the number of calories found in each food on your list, go to www.calorieking.com. Be sure to use
the correct portion size.
Food Item
Portion Size
Calories
Plant Foods
Total Plant Food Calories =
Food Item
Portion Size
Calories
Animal Foods
Total Plant Food Calories =
Plant Foods
1. Total plant food Calories for one day. __________
2. Multiply this total by 365 days to represent the total Calories of plant foods eaten in one year ________
3. Plants on average have a yield of 1200 Calories per square meter per year. Take your total Calories of
plant foods eaten and divide it by this value to determine the SQUARE METERS of land required to
support you in terms of the plant foods you have eaten.
_______________  1200 Cal/m2/year = ________________m2
Animal Foods
4. Total animal food Calories for one day. __________
5. Multiply this total by 365 days to represent the total Calories of animal foods eaten in one year _______
6. Animals on average have a yield of 200 Calories per square meter per year. Take your total Calories of
animal foods eaten and divide it by this value to determine the SQUARE METERS of land required to
support you in terms of the animal foods you have eaten.
_______________  200 Cal/m2/year = _________________m2
Total Square Meters of Land
7. Now add your answers in numbers 3 and 6 to get the
TOTAL SQUARE METERS required to feed you. _________________ m2
Discussion Follow-up for Trophic Ecology of Humans – To be completed in class.
Compare your analysis to another student’s. Answer the following discussion questions in complete sentences.
1. What similarities are there between your analysis sheets (comment specifically about food types eaten,
total calories, total land)?
2. What differences are there between your analysis sheets (comment specifically about food types eaten,
total calories, total land)?
3. In what way do eating animal products affect the total square meters of land in comparison to plants
products?
4. If the population of New York City (estimated at 10 million) ate as you do, how much land would it take
to feed them for a year? Compare this to your partner.
5. If one or both of your totals is below 1200 m2 or above 5000 m2, what changes could you make in your
diet(s) to bring it within this range (1200-5000m2)?
Critical Thinking Question: What effect do you think processing foods has on their total energy yields?