SUPPLEMENT 9 S53

Components and Interactions in Major

Biomes (Chapters 8, 9, 10)

SUPPLEMENT

9

Producer

to primary

consumer

Primary

to secondary

consumer

Secondary to

higher-level

consumer

All producers and

consumers to

decomposers

AgaveAgave

Gambel'sGambel's

quailquail

Red-tailed hawkRed-tailed hawk

RoadrunnerRoadrunner

Diamondback rattlesnakeDiamondback rattlesnake

DarklingDarkling

beetlebeetle

PricklyPrickly

pearpear

cactuscactus

BacteriaBacteria

FungiFungi

Kangaroo ratKangaroo rat

Agave

Gambel's

quail

Red-tailed hawk

Roadrunner

Diamondback rattlesnake

Darkling

beetle

Prickly

pear

cactus

JackJack

rabbitrabbit

CollaredCollared

YuccaYucca lizardlizard

Jack

rabbit

Collared

Yucca lizard

Bacteria

Fungi

Kangaroo rat

Figure 1 Some components and interactions in a

temperate desert ecosystem. When these organ-

isms die, decomposers break down their organic

matter into minerals that plants use. Colored

arrows indicate transfers of matter and energy

among producers, primary consumers (herbivores),

secondary or higher-level consumers (carnivores),

and decomposers. Organisms are not drawn to

scale. Question: What species might undergo

population growth and what species might suffer a

population decline if the diamondback rattlesnake

were eliminated from this ecosystem?