EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -An indicator species is an organism-bacteria, plant, or animal-that reflects the condition of the environment around it. They’re often the first in their ecosystem to be affected by a particular environmental change, such as a warming climate, pollution, human development, and other environmental degradation.

Detailed explanation-2: -Indicator Species. An indicator species describes an organism that is very sensitive to environmental changes in its ecosystem. Indicator species are almost immediately affected by changes to the ecosystem and can give early warning that a habitat is suffering.

Detailed explanation-3: -Amphibians regulate the food chain. Many other animals, such as lizards, birds, fish, and snakes, to name a few, rely on amphibians for food. It has been shown that a decrease in amphibian populations can lead to a decline in species diversity and overall health for the amphibian’s predator populations (Zipkin et al.

Detailed explanation-4: -Wolves in Yellowstone primarily hunt elk. Without the wolves, elk had overgrazed willows along streams in Yellowstone, leading to erosion. Reintroduction of wolves decreased elk populations, which led to an increase in the grass, shrubs, and sapling trees that elk had been over-grazing.

Detailed explanation-5: -Predation. In predation, a member of one species-the predator-eats part or all of the living, or recently living, body of another organism-the prey. This interaction is beneficial for the predator, but harmful for the prey (+/-interaction).