Figure 2. Annual leatherback dietary consumption rates.

Three left panels show the empirically estimated probability density functions for the variables β (food conversion constant), b (scaling exponent), and k (growth parameter) which populate the consumption model (right). The solid dark green line on the right plot is the model average, the green shaded area is the 95% CI, obtained from Monte Carlo simulations of the input variables. Integration of the model average suggests that a leatherback will consume 1014 t of jellyfish (range 924–1112) from hatching through adulthood (age of 40 yrs).