Homework: Research Paper and Food Web
Part I: Your task for this project is to construct an illustrated food web to diagram trophic interactions in the Everglades ecosystem. The food web must be an original creation, you cannot submit a food web that you find online! You must use a minimum of 8 species that are found in the Everglades. You must indicate, using arrows or lines, the flow of energy between the species in your diagram.
For a resource that will allow you to identify plants and animals that are found in the Everglades.
Part II: Answer the following questions about the food web you constructed. Answers should be provided on a separate attachment in the homework dropbox.
o List the producer(s) in your food web.
o List the herbivores in your food web.
o Are there any organisms in your food web that are omnivores? On which trophic levels are they feeding?
o List the carnivores in your food web.
o Identify and list a food chain within your food web that depicts at least three trophic levels. What organism in your selected food chain is a secondary consumer?
o Are there any nonnative species in your food web? Briefly describe are they altering this food web in the Everglades ecosystem?
o Choose a primary consumer in your food web. If its population suddenly started to decline, what density-dependent (biotic) factors could be causing it?
o Choose a secondary consumer in your food web. If its population suddenly started to increase, what density-dependent (biotic) factors could be causing it?
o Are there any keystone species in your food web? If a keystone species were removed from your food web, how would its loss impact the other organisms?
o Are there any endangered or threatened species in your food web? If the species goes extinct, how would its loss impact the other organisms?
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.