2019年美赛优秀论文 Caloric Intake and Growth

杨利霞

2019年美赛优秀论文 Caloric Intake and Growth

Although George R.R. Martin’s series A Song of Ice and Fire falls under the category ”hard
fantasy,” we doubt he expected this level of rigour applied to his dragons. In our paper
we address realistic concerns of raising dragons, as well as their impact on the earth. We
analyze their growth and caloric requirements, their impact on local ecosystems, as well as
the required human-intervention needed.
For our growth and calorie estimations, we modeled the rough size limit of a dragon us
ing the largest known dragon, Balerion the Black Dread. We used fanciful descriptions of his
teeth being as long as longswords to estimate his size and weight. We then estimated how
young dragons would grow by using a model geared towards indeterminately growing species,
which matched the description of dragons growing forever. We ultimately found an accurate
applicable equation to model dragon growth over time.
For their calorie consumption, we took several approaches and evaluated each one in or
der to fifind a plausible caloric requirement of the dragons based on their size and activity.
We used the novel unit of cows in order to better process the gargantuan number of calories
that they need. We were able to obtain a equation for caloric needs based on the dragon’s
basal metabolic rate and the Harris-Benedict approach to account for activity levels.
In order to determine land requirements for dragons in difffferent environments with difffferent
resource levels, we assumed that dragons could be compared to apex predators of difffferent
biomes. The model aimed to ensure environmental sustainability while also fulfifilling dragon
requirements. We combined data on the caloric requirements and land requirements of var
ious carnivorous predators in difffferent biomes to fifind the available calories from prey per
square mile. We then used this value and the dragon’s caloric requirements from the previ
ous model to determine the total land requirements.
To account for the effffects of climate on dragons, we considered both water availability and
temperature. In the case of arid climates, we compared dragons to existing migratory birds,
which create a net increase in water during metabolism. Using data from a Game of Thrones
episode, we found the necessary water requirements of a dragon. After dividing this value
by caloric intake, we compared the mass of water per kcal of dragons to that produced by
birds. We then used data on bird flflights to fifind that the metabolic rate comparison has the
implication that dragons can flfly for 7.5 hours without water before needing more resources.
We also determined that dragons use more energy at low temperatures and conserve energy
at high temperatures.
To determine how large a community would need to be to sustain these dragons, we consid
ered both people needed for dragon management and people needed for food. Ultimately,
including management of a cow farm, security, and dragon riders, we determined that 3
dragons would need to be 61x + 48 people, where x is the amount of people per day.