Food Web Poster Requirements:
The Front of the Poster:
« Is a naturalistic (realistic) drawing of the ecosystem. There is no labeling or title, and there are no “stick figures” or trees drawn as a “sphere on a stick.”
« Has no “fantasy organisms:” space aliens, dinosaurs fighting Humans, etc.
« Shows saprophytes (microorganisms) using a “cone” that contains images of the organisms.
The Back of the Poster:
« Must have a CORRECT, COMPLETE HEADING with no more than 3 names.
« Must have a paragraph introducing the ecosystem and describing it.
« Must fulfill the requirements set forth in the rubric.
(That is, it must have the right number of organisms at each trophic level.)
« Must include the full name of each organism.
“Snake” is not good enough. If you draw a snake, include the exact KIND of snake you
have drawn (example: “Anaconda ”).
A bonus will be awarded for each correct Linnaean (Latin) name.
« Must have a HEIRARCHICAL/LAYERED food web – organisms at each trophic level are grouped together.
« Must have ARROWS tracing the flow of chemical energy through this ecosystem.
Each arrow should point to the organism consuming the food (not to the food).
« Must list and explain at least 5 different symbiotic relationships from the front of the poster.
Jane Doe and Joe Smith
10/31/2012 B-4
North American Cypress Swamp Food Web
Introduction: In lowlying tidal swamps of Florida (such as the Everglades) and in parts of Louisiana, swamp ecosystems are partially freshwater and partially salt water. These ecosystems are rich in biological diversity and highly productive in biomass. Long-term residents must be adapted to multiple conditions, including tidal variations in food supply and salt content. Cypress swamps are valuable to humans because they prevent tropical storm damage and recycle organic waste.
3rd Degree Consumers / American Alligator /Mosquito
/ Anaconda / Scavengers (Detrivores)« Turkey Vulture
« Crayfish
2nd Degree Consumers /
Monitor Lizard
/ Flamingo / Garter Snake / LeopardFrog
1st Degree Consumers / Buffalo / Fruit Bat / Monarch Butterfly / Common
Grasshopper
Saprophytes (Decomposers)
« E. coli (bacterium)
« Death Angel mushroom
Producers (Autotrophs) / Live Oak tree / Swamp cypress / Swamp Orchid / Swamp fern
Symbiotic Relationships:
Mutualism: E. coli in the intestines of the alligator get food and help the alligator to digest it.
Parasitism: Mosquitoes draw blood from the bison and birds.
Amensalism: The buffalo tramples flowers, but gets neither benefit nor harm.
Neutralism: Alligators inhabit the same environment as mosquitoes neither is benefited or harmed
Commensalism—the vulture is benefited by the eating habits of the alligator. The alligator is neither harmed nor helped.