Organism Relationships

The organisms (animals and plants) of the quadrat interact with one another and share resources. The mast producing trees of the quadrat, such as the oak tree, produce acorns to feed the squirrels and birds. The feces discharged from the squirrels and birds enters the soil and becomes detritus. The detritivores eat the dead leaves, rotting wood and feces in the soil and enrich the soil by breaking down the nutrients in the detritus. The soil is then enriched and able to produce more mast producing trees and plants, which feed the animals.

The creek provides an aboitic habitat for water plants and animals, such as the Mallard ducks we found. The Rusty blackbirds we discovered in our quadrat eat, as one of their food sources, the water bugs off the surface of the water. Underneath rocks is also an aboitic habitat for living organisms, such as ants and termites, who prefer the dark and the protection of the underside of the rock. Dead logs are also home to termites, ants, slugs, and beetles. The living trees of the quadrat provide shelter to squirrels, birds and spiders.

The animals of the quadrat all compete for shared food sources produced by oak trees and other mast producing trees. There is a symbiotic relationship within the quadrat. The squirrels, birds and other animals that eat acorns, share mutualism with the mast producing trees. The trees produce food for the animals and the feces of the animals, in the long run, helps to replenish the soil and allow for more trees to grow.