Part B

1. Q- List all the producers in this community

The producers in this community are the salt marsh plants and algae. These two organisms
make up the base of the food web and their health is a key factor towards the health of the
community.
2. Q- What is the ultimate source of energy?
A- Overall, the ultimate source for energy for the producers would come from the sun, water,
and oxygen. Regarding the whole food chain, the ultimate source of energy would be from
the sun and the food which they consume.
3. Q- Name three organisms that are herbivores
A- The organisms which are herbivores are small crustaceans, snails, and small fish. These
organisms are all primary consumers.
4. Q- Name two organisms that are carnivores
A- Two organisms which are carnivores in this food web are hawks and frogs as they both
consume only meat products. These organisms are also ranked high in the food chain.
5. Q- Name three organisms that are omnivores
A- Three organisms which are omnivores in this food web are ducks, sandpipers, and mice.
These organisms are ranked low within the food web.
6. Q- Identify a food chain in the web with only 4 trophic levels
A- The owl food chain has four trophic levels as it does not have a quaternary consumer,
therefore the frog is the head of the food chain.
7. Q- Identify all the organisms that eat grasshoppers
A- There are three organisms that consume grasshoppers, these organisms are frogs, mice, and
sparrows. The organisms are all secondary consumers.
8. Q- Identify all organisms that would compete with sandpipers for crustaceans
A- The organisms competing with sandpipers for crustaceans are big fish, ducks, and frogs. All
these organisms are secondary consumers.
9. Q- If grasshoppers and snails die, what organism will be affected immediately and die?
A- The organism which will be majorly impacted from the death of grasshoppers and snails will
be the sparrow, as those are the only two organisms which it consumes. Further on,
populations like mice may also become affected.
10. Q- If the hawks were hunted excessively, which organism would benefit immediately?
A- The crane and snake population would benefit massively as now they have no prey, therefore
their populations would increase at great rates.
11. Q- Which group of organisms are not shown in this food web? Why are they important?
A- The group of organisms which were not shown in the food web were decomposers. They are
important in the eco-system as stated via reference.com “Decomposers are important because
they are crucial for the proper functioning of ecosystems. They recycle the minerals found in
dead plants and animals back into the food chain. Ecosystems do not waste energy or
materials, and as such, the decomposers capitalize on any remaining energy in a dead
organism and make the minerals available to the entire biome.”