Creating a Hudson River Food Web In order to predict the effects that Zebra Muss

Creating a Hudson River Food Web In order to predict the effects that Zebra Mussels might have on the Hudson River ecosystem, scientists first needed to understand the relationships between the organisms already present. Use the information from the essay, River Ecology: Invasion of the Zebra Mussel, and the table below to draw a food web with the organisms listed. There’s a simple food web in the essay that you can use as a model. Organisms Present in the Hudson River, Pre-Zebra Mussel Invasion: Decomposer Bacteria Decomposer bacteria help break down the remains of dead animals and plants, making the nutrients available for other organisms. Unionidae Unionidae are native mussels in the Hudson River. They are filter feeders and eat all types of plankton. Sphaeriidae Sphaeriidae are native clams in the Hudson River. They are filter feeders and eat all types of plankton. Alosa (herring) Alosa live in open water and they feed on all types of plankton. Centrarchidae (sunfish) Centrarchidae live near the shore in shallow “weed beds: where they feed on insect larvae, crustaceans, small fish, and small clams and mussels. Phytoplankton Phytoplankton are producers. They use chlorophyll to capture light energy in chemical bonds of carbon molecules. Zooplankton Rotifers Rotifers are a type of zooplankton the eat bacteria, phytoplankton and sometime other zooplankton like small copepods. Copepod nauplii Copepod nauplii are young copepods. They are small zooplankton that eat phytoplankton and bacteria. Copepod adults Copepods are zooplankton that eat phytoplankton, bacteria and small zooplankton. Cladocera Cladocera are zooplankton that eat phytoplankton, bacteria, dead organisms and small zooplankton. When you are finished, take a screenshot or picture of your food web and paste it into your worksheet. Now use the information below to add Zebra Mussels to your original food web. Take a second picture or screenshot and paste it into your assignment document. Zebra Mussel These small clams are filter feeders, eating small plankton and fragments of dead plants and animals. In order to be