Question

part 1: interpreting and analyzing a food web. use these slides to help. directions: use the picture of the food web below to answer the following questions

1. producers

leaf, berries,

1. primary consumers

squirrel,

1. secondary consumers

snake, frog, owl

1. tertiary consumers

owl,

1. herbivores

1. carnivores

snake, frog

1. omnivores

snake, frog

1. what elements are missing from this food web?

bacteria and mushrooms

1. if the owl was removed, what population of organisms would show the greatest increase and why?

small rodents, because

1. what will happen to the squirrel and rabbit populations if the mice population is removed?

1. which other population would increase or decrease if a mice population was removed?

1. which organism would completely disappear if grasshoppers were removed?

Explanation:

1. Owls prey on small rodents (mice) in this food web. Removing owls removes their main predator, so rodent populations will surge the most due to reduced predation pressure.
2. Mice compete with squirrels and rabbits for plant-based food. Removing mice reduces competition, so these herbivore populations will increase as they have more access to producers.
3. Mice are a food source for snakes and owls. With fewer mice, these predators will have less prey, so their populations will decrease. Additionally, plants (producers) may increase slightly due to reduced herbivory from mice.
4. Frogs in this food web rely on grasshoppers as their food source. If grasshoppers are removed, frogs lose their primary prey and cannot survive, so they will completely disappear.

Answer:

1. Small rodents (mice) would show the greatest increase, because the owl is their main predator, and removing the owl eliminates predation pressure on them.
2. The squirrel and rabbit populations would increase, as they compete with mice for the same plant food sources, and removing mice reduces this competition.
3. The populations of snakes and owls would decrease (since they lose a key food source in mice), and the plant producer populations may increase slightly due to reduced herbivory from mice.
4. Frogs would completely disappear, as grasshoppers appear to be their only food source in this food web.