Recycling minerals B. Scavengers 1. Examples of scavengers 2. Many forms of diagrams and programs may be used to model the interrelationships of earth s physical and biological systems. Carrion, commensalism, ecosystems, living community, mutualism, parasitism, physical environment, predators, prey, saprophytes, scavengers, symbiosis This classroom connector addresses Instructional Objective 1.01, 1.02, 1.03 and 1.07. In this lesson we will study predation and a variety of complex interrelationships which living things share.
Predators are consumers that catch and eat other consumers for their food.
Prey are the consumers which are killed and eaten by the predators. Predators and prey are both necessary parts of ecosystems. There must be more prey than predators as each predator eats a great deal of prey during a lifetime. Predation is important in controlling overpopulation of the prey species. It also helps select for a healthy breeding population of the prey species by eliminating the weak individuals and those susceptible to disease.