this is the question about speciez

Question

Scientists have discovered a lonely island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The island probably formed thousands of years ago as a result of an underwater volcanic eruption.

After a first study, scientists have been able to verify that the island is inhabited by only a few species. These are well-known species that probably colonized the island a few centuries ago.

The five species identified are as follows:

An herbaceous plant, which is the only plant species on the island.

A small herbivorous insect.

A small rodent that feeds on insects and, to a lesser extent, on plants.

A snake, which feeds on small vertebrates.

A bird of prey in the group of eagles, which feeds on small and medium-sized vertebrates.

Who eats who?

As you read the description of the five species, you should be aware that each of them is a source of food or feeds on one or more other species.

To understand how the five species that inhabit the island relate to each other, we will begin by depicting in a diagram how they feed.

Draw arrows to join species that have a feeding relationship.

(Arrows must go from the organism that is consumed to the organism that consumes it

BOY BIRD

SMALL BITE SNAKE

SMALL HERBIVOROUS INSECT

HERBACY PLANT

SERP

Answer 1

Hi Lily K.,

What exactly is your question? The problem states who eats who, all you have to do is methodically draw in the arrows on the food/predator web chart.

I would re-label "SERP" into "RODENT" though, since "SMALL BITE SNAKE" is already an entry on the chart.

Also, the chart is not laid out in a very thoughtful manner; usually thay are constructed from producers (at the bottom) to top predators (at the top), to avoid having a rats'-nest of swirling arrows. If I were you, I would re-draw that chart in a more thoughtful manner!

This question is designed to make you think about, and show, the multiple foods that two of the species consume. That feature tends to stabilize the web against disruptions (temporary variations in individual species populations).

You might impress your instructor by also adding the "food" input to the plant, namely sunlight, with its "feeding" arrow.

And, although the question doesn't state it, you might wish to speculate (via a dotted arrow? and explanation) that the snake might occasionally take a trip up the rocks to eat an eagle egg, when the eagles aren't watching it, of course. Some snakes do eat bird eggs; they may even have a bony ridge in the roof of their mouth to break the eggshell (broken eggs are much easier to swallow!). If you have read up on this ability, so that you can discuss it with your teacher, (s)he might find your speculation easier to "swallow".

-- Cheers, --Mr. d.