Question

below is a food web from joshua tree national park, a desert ecosystem in southern california. which arrows show matter moving from a tertiary consumer to a decomposer? select all that apply. the arrow between the red - tailed hawk and the mushroom the arrow between the rattlesnake and the red - tailed hawk the arrow between the raven and the microfungus the arrow between the creosote bush and the desert iguana the arrow between the desert woodrat and the rattlesnake

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze each option:

1. Tertiary Consumer & Decomposer Check:

• A tertiary consumer is a top-level predator (eats secondary consumers). A decomposer (e.g., mushroom, microfungus) breaks down dead organisms.
• Red - tailed hawk (tertiary consumer) → mushroom (decomposer): Hawks are tertiary consumers; mushrooms decompose dead hawks. This arrow shows matter from a tertiary consumer to a decomposer.
• Rattlesnake → Red - tailed hawk: This is a predator - prey relationship (rattlesnake is prey, hawk is predator), not tertiary consumer to decomposer.
• Raven (tertiary consumer) → microfungus (decomposer): Ravens are tertiary consumers; microfungus decomposes dead ravens. This arrow is valid (though the original option might have a typo, but based on the food web, raven to microfungus is correct). Wait, the original option given is “the arrow between the raven and the microfungus” (not listed in the user’s initial check, but re - evaluating):
• Wait, the user’s initial checked options were incorrect. Let's re - assess:
• The arrow between red - tailed hawk (tertiary) and mushroom (decomposer) is correct.
• The arrow between raven (tertiary) and microfungus (decomposer) is also correct (ravens are tertiary consumers, microfungus decomposes them).

But based on the user’s provided options (and correcting mis - classifications):

• The arrow between red - tailed hawk and mushroom: Correct (tertiary → decomposer).
• The arrow between raven and microfungus: Correct (tertiary → decomposer).

Wait, the user’s initial checked options were wrong. Let's re - do:

Step 1: Identify Tertiary Consumers

Tertiary consumers in the food web: red - tailed hawk, raven, kit fox, coyote (they eat secondary consumers like rattlesnakes, desert woodrats, etc.).

Step 2: Identify Decomposers

Decomposers: mushroom, microfungus (break down dead organisms).

Step 3: Analyze Each Arrow

• Red - tailed hawk → mushroom: Red - tailed hawk is tertiary; mushroom decomposes it. Valid.
• Rattlesnake → Red - tailed hawk: Predator - prey (rattlesnake is secondary, hawk is tertiary), not tertiary → decomposer. Invalid.
• Raven → microfungus: Raven is tertiary; microfungus decomposes it. Valid.
• Creosote bush → desert iguana: Producer → primary consumer. Invalid.
• Desert woodrat → rattlesnake: Primary → secondary consumer. Invalid.

So the correct arrows are:

• the arrow between the red - tailed hawk and the mushroom
• the arrow between the raven and the microfungus (if present in the options; based on the food web, this is correct).

But based on the user’s original options (and correcting the initial mistake):

To determine the correct arrows, we:

1. Define tertiary consumers (top - level predators, e.g., red - tailed hawk, raven) and decomposers (e.g., mushroom, microfungus) that break down dead organisms.
2. Analyze each arrow:

• Red - tailed hawk (tertiary) → mushroom (decomposer): Valid (matter from tertiary consumer to decomposer).
• Raven (tertiary) → microfungus (decomposer): Valid (matter from tertiary consumer to decomposer).
• Other arrows (rattlesnake→hawk, creosote bush→iguana, woodrat→rattlesnake) are predator - prey or producer - consumer, not tertiary→decomposer.

Answer:

The correct options are:

• the arrow between the red - tailed hawk and the mushroom
• the arrow between the raven and the microfungus (if this is an option; based on the food web, this is correct)

(Note: The user’s initial checked options were incorrect; the correct arrows are those from tertiary consumers (red - tailed hawk, raven) to decomposers (mushroom, microfungus).)