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FOOD WEB IN THE TUNDRA |
Tundra Food Web |
On top are the small predators such as the snowy
owl and artic fox. Most small predators feed off the lemmings which
are the KEYSTONE ANIMAL to the food web as they are very populoous and
widely consumed. Above the small predators, are larger predators such
as the polar bear, which are not shown on this chart. |
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In the middle are the primary consumers
such as lemmings, musk oxen and insects who feed on the limited plant
life avaliable. |
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On the bottom there are the primary producers, or the plants. These are very limited resources, which are thrown off by the slightest lack of sunlight and water avaliable to them. The permafrost in the ground also throws off the drainage of the water leaving the plants there hard to digest.
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This ecosystem is extremely fragile because of the
lack of plant life so if tthe primary consumers can't find enough food,
the predators can't eat. Therefore, the population continually oscillates
and the extinction of just one species has the threshold to destroy
this ecosystem. |
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