Food Web in the Sagebrush-Steppe Ecosystem

1. Who eats..
a) Plants are being eaten by primary consumers "plant eaters". Like for example Squirrels and other small rodents, Insects, Pronghorn and other grazers.
b) Snakes are being eaten by both the Badger and the Raptor.
c) Insects are being eaten by Lizards and small reptiles, and Bats.
d) Mountain Lions which are on top of the food web is not eaten by anything.

2. What effect might this have on the other organisms in this food web?
The Lizards and small reptiles, and the Pronghorn and other grazers will start increasing and the things that both those organisms eat will start decreasing.

3. Describe the effects on the ecosystem of an increase in the population of mountain lions.
If the Mountain Lions started increasing the Pronghorn and other grazers will start decreasing and then both the Mountain Lion and the Coyote will get effected but the Coyote not as much as the Mountain Lion because the Coyote eats another organism which is the Lizards and Small Reptiles.

4. Discuss all the possible effects the introduction of mesquite trees might have on the ecosystem above.
One possible effect would be that the primary consumers would be increasing. A second possible effect would be that people would start chopping down the Mesquite Tree for there own benefit because they are edible and also to use them in their homes because of the good nutrients in the soil. If people did start choppping up the trees alot of the animals would loose their homes.