Nickole Perez

Professor Nicholas Lux

Environmental Science

12 April 2016

The second law of thermodynamics is defined by the following: the entropy of any

isolated system always increases- the energy it takes to perform a task will have an end result of

increased entropy. In the laws of nature, one could argue that this has a profound effect on the

abundancy of predators. This could be the case, due to the amount of exertion that a predator will

use in order to catch its prey. We can take a cheetah, as an example. The cheetah will carefully

plot its attack, using stealth, camouflage and patience to track its prey and set it up in a situation

that would be beneficial to the cheetah. Once the prey is in direct sight, in one swift burst, the

cheetah will use all of its built up energy during the action of catching its prey. Now, the entropy

in this case had been developing within the cheetah, which left it at a peak. The cheetah then

using this said energy in its hunt, and it decreases. In the act of exertion, the action in itself has

caused the entropy to increase once again, thus, fulfilling the second law of thermodynamics. In

many cases, predators are mainly solitary animals; they survive alone and not in groups

(cheetahs, tigers, jaguars, etc.) Since they are solitary, the second law of thermodynamics can be

used to explain its lack in abundancy; the animal relies on itself for its survival. In the case of the

cheetah, if it is unsuccessful in its attempt, it will remain hungry until its next opportunity.

Relying on built up exertion and carefully planned opportunity can limit the abundancy of

predators, if their success rate stays at 50/50- Less success, equates to less productivity.