🌿 Part 1: Ecosystem Knowledge

1. What is an ecosystem?

Only the living organisms in an area

All living organisms and their non-living environment working together

Just the plants and animals in a forest

The weather and climate of a region

2. Which of these are producers in a New Zealand ecosystem?

Kererū (wood pigeon)

Kauri trees

Tussock grass

Tuatara

Mānuka bushes

3. A kiwi bird eats earthworms, insects, and berries. What type of consumer is it?

Primary consumer

Secondary consumer

Tertiary consumer

Omnivore (eats both plants and animals)

4. In a New Zealand forest food web, which organism would be at the top?

Kererū

New Zealand falcon

Wētā

Pohutukawa tree

🔗 Part 2: Food Web Relationships

5. Complete this food chain from a New Zealand ecosystem:

Mānuka bush → _____________ → Morepork owl

6. Explain what would happen to the kererū population if all the native berry-producing plants were removed from a forest ecosystem.

7. Name three native New Zealand animals and describe what each one eats:

a) _________________ eats _________________________________

b) _________________ eats _________________________________

c) _________________ eats _________________________________

8. Why are decomposers important in a New Zealand ecosystem? Give two reasons.

🎨 Part 3: Design Your Food Web

9. Choose a New Zealand ecosystem (forest, wetland, coastal, or alpine) and draw a simple food web with at least 6 organisms. Include arrows to show energy flow and label each organism as producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer, or tertiary consumer.

10. Ecosystem chosen: _______________________

11. How might human activities affect the food web you drew above? Describe one positive and one negative impact.