An indicator species:

In ecological terms, a consumer is:

Detritivores and decomposers:

Edge effects:

In mutualism, both organisms receive an immediate benefit from the relationship. A good example of this is:

An example of how secondary succession would occur in a particular area would be when:

Which is more vulnerable to disturbances, a simple food web with only a few species, or a more complex one? Explain.

How do pileated woodpeckers fit the definition of a keystone species?

Draw a simple food web for a natural area near you. Include producers and at least three levels of consumers, as well as detritivores, and decomposers.

Explain why both species richness and species evenness are important for a healthy ecosystem.

Choose a different ecosystem than the one discussed in this chapter and identify examples of each of these species interactions: predation, competition, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

Cowbirds are nest parasites—they lay their eggs in the nests of small forest birds such as bluebirds and leave them for the small birds to care for. The bluebirds then spend the next several weeks caring for the huge baby cowbird, which quickly kills the bluebird’s own young. Cowbirds prefer open, disturbed areas and seldom venture far into a forest for any reason, even to lay eggs. Use the concept of edge effect to explain what happens to the populations of bluebirds when humans build roads, recreation areas, homes, and businesses in a large forest.