Vocabulary
Herbivore
An animal that only eats plants.
The four things that ALL living things need.
Remember why we don't say 'food'...
A community is...
all the living things in an area.
A food chain is...
ONE path of energy through a community.
Two oak trees are planted close together. In what ways are the trees likely to compete for resources?
Compete for sunlight
Compete for soil nutrients
Compete for water (as they get bigger)
Carnivore
An animal that only eats meat.
In a thick and heavy forest, what resource are trees most likely going to compete for?
1. sunlight
2. water
Producers make their own...
Food.
A food web is...
Many food chains that show how energy is connected in an environment.
Why are decomposers important to a community?
Omnivore
An animal that eats both plants and meat.
On the Prairie, what resource is most likely to be scarce (or rare)?
Water
Prairies are mostly dry and arid, animals will compete for watering holes.
Consumers must eat....
other living things, such as plants and animals, to survive.
Explain - If ONE thing changes in a food web or food chain, how does that impact the rest of the web or chain?
If one thing changes, EVERYTHING changes!
A scientist is studying an animal fossil that has both sharp teeth and flat teeth. What type of consumer is the scientist most likely studying?
Omnivore - sharp teeth for pulling and tearing meat and flat teeth for grinding plants.
An animal that hunts other animals.
Explain what would happen if there was only one type of living thing in an area.
They wouldn't have all of the things they would need. The community would not be balanced. They would likely die or suffer.
Decomposer...
feed on dead remains of plants and animals.
Last winter, Montana received record snowfall. Most of the elk calves (babies) did not survive. What do you think will happen to the population of mountain lion over the next few years because of the decline in elk calves?
The mountain lion population will likely decline as well. With fewer prey, their numbers will decline due to hunger/starvation.
A mistletoe plant grows on the trunk of another plant. It takes water and nutrients away from the plant. What is the best way to describe the role of the mistletoe in this relationship?
The mistletoe is a parasite. A parasite takes nutrients from other living things.
Prey
An animal that is hunted.
Give an example of a relationship between two animals where BOTH living things benefit.
bird and flower
bird and hippo
many possible answers...
List the three types of consumers and 1 characteristic about each type.
Herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.
Herbivores eat only plants, carnivores eat only meat, and omnivores eat both plants and animals.
True or False - Predators need prey and prey need predators.
True - although it seems strange to think about, environments are all about BALANCE, and everything has its purpose.
Would a parasite want to kill the host or just take nutrients from it? Why? Why not? Explain your reasoning.
Just take nutrients. If it killed the host, the nutrients would eventually run out. If it kept the host alive, it would have nutrients as long as the host is alive.