Calculating Predator Prey Ratios

This is how Dr. Bakker (a palaeontologist) calculates predator/prey ratios for fossil collections:
  1. Count the proportion of each species (gl) in the collection.
  2. Calculate the weight of each species. This is often done by looking at the diameter and volume of the fossil bones and comparing with modern animals.
  3. Calculate the proportion of the weight of the whole collection (the biomass) taken up by each species.
  4. Look at the teeth and jaw bones of each species to see if it is a predatory animal.
  5. Calculate the proportion of the biomass taken up by predators.
    (N.b. This assumes predators eat each other too).