Game of Ecology

Background:

In the fictional television series Game of Thrones, based on the series of epic fantasy novels A Song of Ice and Fire, three dragons are raised by Daenerys Targaryen, the “Mother of Dragons.” When hatched, the dragons are small, roughly 10 kg, and after a year grow to roughly 30-40 kg. They continue to grow throughout their life depending on the conditions and amount of food available to them.

For the purposes of this problem, consider these three fictional dragons are living today. Assume that the basic biology of dragons described above is accurate. You will need to make some additional assumptions about dragons that might include, for example, that dragons are able to fly great distances, breath fire, and resist tremendous trauma. As you address the problem requirements, it should be clear how your assumptions are related to the physical constraints of the functions, size, diet, changes, or other characteristics associated with the animals.

Your team is assigned to analyze dragon characteristics, behavior, habits, diet, and interaction with their environment. To do so, you will have to consider many questions. At a minimum, address the following: What is the ecological impact and requirements of the dragons? What are the energy expenditures of the dragons, and what are their caloric intake requirements? How much area is required to support the three dragons? How large a community is necessary to support a dragon for varying levels of assistance that can be provided to the dragons? Be clear about what factors you are considering when addressing these questions.