Question

Ponds are a type of freshwater ecosystem that has shallow and slow-moving water (is lentic), and, because it's shallow, light can reach the bottom of it.Some organisms that we can find living in a pond are the following:Water liliesFrogsTurtlesFishGeeseDragonfliesAlgaeCyanobacteriaDucksWater snailDuck potatoEarthwormsMosquitosPond skaterNewtsMosquito fern/fairy mossDuckweedsWatersnakeSalamandersWater beetle3. Using the organisms from your list above, construct at least three food chains for your ecosystem in the space provided below. For each food chain, label the following: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, decomposers, detritivores, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and trophic level. Food Chain #1: Food Chain #2: Food Chain #3:4. Using your food chains above and other organisms from your list; construct one food web for yourecosystem in the space below. The food web must contain at least 12 organisms in it.

Answer 1

Food chain illustrates how one organism is eaten by another. It also gives you an insight of the movement of energy from one organism to the next. It starts from a producer to primary consumer to secondary consumer to tertiary consumer. Producers are plants or bacteria. Primary consumers can be either herbivores or omnivores. Secondary consumers are either omnivores or carnivores. Tertiary consumers are usually carnivores.

Among the given options, the producers are water lilies, algae, cyanobacteria, duck potato, mosquito fern/fairy moss, and duckweeds.

Among the given options, the primary consumers are ducks, geese, fish, water snails, turtles, earthworms, frogs, pond skaters, and water beetles.

Among the given options, the secondary and/or tertiary consumers are ducks, geese, fish, frogs, dragonflies, water beetles, newts, water snake, and salamander.

To create a food chain, start first with the producers, then the primary consumers, then the secondary consumers, then the tertiary consumers, all of which are encompassed by the decomposers and detritivores.

FOOD CHAIN #1: Duckweeds (producer) ---> Ducks (primary consumer/omnivore