Yes! Relationships are defined as when two or more organisms interact. This happens in nature through three symbiotic relationship types and predator-prey relationships.
Eastern Bluebird eating blueberries for energy and dispersing the seeds
Both organisms benefit
Squirrels making their nest (drey) in a tree
One organism benefits, other is unaffected
Oriental Bittersweet climbing up a tree while strangling it
One organism benefits, other is harmed
Predator: Animal that consumes other animals
Prey: Animal that is consumed by another animal
Food Chain: A direct path of nutrients in nature, based on what organisms eat
Food Web: Interconnected food chains showing possibilities of nutrient exchange in nature
Food Web Roles
Organisms that must eat other organisms for energy
Organisms that breakdown waste and dead organic material
Apex predators are at the top of the trophic levels (often tertiary consumers) with no predators present in an ecosystem
Common Predators in Indiana
Garden Spider
Great Horned Owl
Coyote
Eastern Hognosed Snake
Common Prey in Indiana
White-footed Mouse
Cottontail Rabbit
Chipmunk
Earthworm
**Animals can be both predator and prey, it depends on where you are analyzing them in the food web!**