Question

below is a food web from joshua tree national park, a desert ecosystem in southern california.
which organisms are secondary consumers in this food web? select all that apply.
rattlesnake
beavertail cactus
raven
desert woodrat
desert iguana

Explanation:

To determine secondary consumers, we analyze each organism:

1. Rattlesnake: Secondary consumers eat primary consumers (herbivores). Rattlesnakes eat animals like desert woodrats (primary consumers), so it is a secondary consumer.
2. Beavertail cactus: It is a producer (photosynthetic, makes its own food), not a consumer.
3. Raven: Ravens eat primary consumers (e.g., mice, woodrats) or other consumers, so it can act as a secondary (or higher) consumer.
4. Desert woodrat: It is a primary consumer (eats plants like creosote bush or cactus).
5. Desert iguana: It is a primary consumer (eats plants like creosote bush or cactus).

Answer:

A. rattlesnake, C. raven