Description
People who study how animals interact with each other describe living things in an ecosystem by their feeding habits. Producers make food by harnessing the energy of sunlight. Consumers eat plants and each other. All organisms produce waste that is recycled by decomposers. The interactions of these living things create a food web.
Review the following short articles that describe examples of the disturbance and recovery of ecosystems:
- What Happens to Kelp Forests When Sea Urchins Are Not Present in the Ecosystem?
- What Happens When Something in a Food Chain Goes Extinct?
- How Can People Restore a Damaged Ecosystem?
Design an imaginary food web or describe a real one. Include at least 4 living organisms that interact in your ecosystem. Then, respond to the following:
- Explain the interaction of the living things in your food web. What eats what?
- Describe what would happen to the rest of the food web if one of the members was completely removed.
In your responses to at least two classmates you could explore the similarities and discuss the differences in the food web descriptions. In your replies, you could elaborate on their food chain, adding a component or considering the impact of the loss (or addition) of a different living thing.
For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web resources, and all course materials.
