Texas Fossils
What is a fossil?
Preserved remains of past organisms
What is a food web?
A network of connected food chains.
Where do plants get their energy?
The sun.
What is a producer in an ecosystem?
An organism that makes its own food through photosynthesis.
Why do we find ocean fossils in Texas today?
Texas was once covered by an ancient sea.
What happens if a top predator disappears?
Prey populations increase, affecting the whole ecosystem.
What happens when animals eat plants?
Energy moves through the food web.
What do producers need to make their own food?
Sunlight
What can fossils tell us about past environments?
Climate, water sources, plant life
Name a decomposer and its role in the food web.
Fungi, bacteria—break down dead material.
How do scavengers help recycle matter?
They eat dead animals and return nutrients to the soil.
Give an example of a producer found in Texas.
Oak tree, bluebonnet, prairie grass, cactus, etc.
How do scientists know a desert used to be an ocean?
Fossils of marine life like ammonites & coral
How do plants help cycle matter in an ecosystem?
They absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
What happens to energy as it moves up the food chain?
Some energy is lost as heat.
How do producers support the food web?
They provide energy for herbivores, which supports the entire food chain.
What does petrified wood tell us about past Texas environments?
Texas once had lush forests
What happens to herbivores if plants die out?
They decrease, which affects carnivores, too.
Why are decomposers important to the environment?
They recycle nutrients back into the soil.
What would happen to an ecosystem if all producers disappeared?
The food web would collapse because no new energy would enter the system.