Forest Food Web
This organism is at the top of the forest food web and eats beetles.
What is a wolf spider?
These tiny organisms form the base of the food chain in Lake Michigan.
What is phytoplankton?
Organisms return matter to the ecosystem by doing this (one way).
What is releasing waste?
This color owl is increasing in a warming climate.
What are brown tawny owls?
When organisms compete for the same food source, this occurs.
What is competition?
When woodlice decrease, this organism increases due to less competition.
What are snails?
Zebra mussels impact fish populations by increasing this.
What is competition for food?
Organisms also return matter when this happens to them.
What is decomposition (when they die)?
This color owl is decreasing due to less snow cover.
What are gray tawny owls?
When one organism eats another, this interaction is called this.
What is predation?
This happens to ground beetles when a new organism eats their food source.
What is the population decreases?
After zebra mussels were introduced, fish populations mostly did this.
What is decreased?
These organisms break down dead material and recycle nutrients.
What are decomposers?
Gray owls are more likely to be seen by this in a changing environment.
What are predators?
Introducing new species into an ecosystem can cause this.
What is imbalance?
Ground beetles are classified as this type of consumer.
What is a secondary consumer?
Zebra mussels increase water clarity, which causes more of this to grow.
What are underwater plants?
This type of organism gets energy directly from plants.
What are herbivores?
This trait helps brown owls survive better in warmer climates.
What is brown feather coloration (camouflage)?
Organisms without predators often experience this population change.
What is rapid population growth?
This causes ground beetle populations to decline when new species are introduced.
What is increased competition for food?
Organisms like zebra mussels without predators can cause this in ecosystems.
What is imbalance or disruption?
Plants use this gas from the air to make food.
What is carbon dioxide?
This process explains why helpful traits become more common over time.
What is natural selection?
Cycling of matter includes this process where nutrients return to soil.
What is decomposition?