Mono Lake Food Webs Investigation 4 What are

Mono Lake Food Webs Investigation 4

What are Ecosystems? • An ecosystem is the interaction between the biotic and abiotic factors in a specific area. • What were some of the interactions in the Mono Lake Ecosystem?

What are feeding relationships? • Interaction between organisms where one organism eats another. (Feeding Relationship). • Example: California Gull and the Brine Fly

Organism Cards • Organism Cards – Photograph – Scientific name – Information about Life Cycle – Information about feeding relationships – Role in Ecosystem

Activity • Work in groups of 2 -4 • Read the cards to become familiar with all the organisms • Organize the cards with picture side up • Use the arrows to show feeding relationships between organisms • Organisms can be in a feeding relationship with many organisms. • 20 minutes on activity

How should arrows be drawn in a feeding relationship? • • In the direction of the flow of energy Which is correct? ? ? A. Fly Spider B. Fly Spider

Food Chains • In an ecosystem, many organism survive by eating other organisms. The benefits of the food eaten by one organism can then move to another organism and another, as each one is eaten. The path that food takes from one organism to another organism is called a FOOD CHAIN.

One Food Chain in the Web • Planktonic Algae • Brine Shrimp • California Gull • Coyote

Food Web • Interaction of many feeding relationships in an ecosystem. • This is what you developed today.

Questions • Which organisms in the food web do not eat any other organisms? • How can they survive without eating other organisms? • How do animals get their food? • What are the decomposers in this food web? • What are their roles in the food web?