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Glossary
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On your field trip you need to observe the organisms that inhabit
the study area. Below is a table that lists the organisms that were
observed. To see photographs click on the names in the table.
You have to create food chains from these organisms and then combine the
food chains into a food web. To help you do this there is a table for you
to fill in. Go to the table and print off a copy.
Fill in the table as you look at the organisms below. When you have completed
the table draw a food web for this ecosystem.
Trophic Interactions
Trophic interactions are feeding relationships. All feeding relationships
show a one-way flow of energy. As you create food webs and food chains
in your interaction table you will be showing
the tropic interactions that occur between the organisms that you observe.
Predator/prey relationships
A broad definition of a predator is an organism that eats another organism.
In common language usage the word predator refers to a carnivore such as
a bream eating a crab. From your table of interactions
you should be able to list at least three predator/ prey relationships.
Put these into your report.
Decomposers
Decomposers play an important role in the cycling of material and the flow
of energy through an ecosystem. In the mangrove ecosystem bacteria and fungi break down dead organic matter, such as mangrove leaves One
teaspoon of mud from a mangrove forest is estimated to contain 10
billion bacteria. This bacteria breaks down the leaf litter and provides
nutrients for the other organisms that live in the mangrove swamp. Mangrove
plants produce about 1kg of litter a square metre per year. Some
of this is consumed by crabs the rest is broken down by decomposers.
This forms the basis of the food chain in the mangrove swamp. The nutritional
value of the leaves is increased by the work of decomposers.
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