Death Valley
Biotic
PRODUCERS
Primary Consumers
Desert Tarantula
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/2663651908_b952269634.jpg
Secondary Consumers
Desert Spiny Lizard
http://www.nps.gov/pisp/photosmultimedia/images/2Desert-Spiny-Lizard.jpg
Tertiary Consumers
Mountain Lion
http://bikesafe.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/r-mountain20lion205.jpg
Decomposers
Red-Headed Vulture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqGTY0J0AOs&feature=relmfu
Little Black Ant
http://www.ridacritter.com/pest/Images/page_images/ants/little_black.jpg
Relationships Between Organisms
The relationships between all of these trophic levels are different. First of all, within the same trophic levels, the organisms usually have the symbiosis of competition. Except for the producers, the different organisms must try to get food before the others do so that they survive with food. In different trophic levels, it is a prey and predator relationship. As the trophic levels get higher, the more animals go to kill for food. For example, at the lowest trophic levels, Little insects such as the Red Velvet Ant will go for plants like the Desert Holly. However, as the trophic levels get higher, predators such a Mountain Lions will go to kill other carnivores or omnivores such as the Horned Lizard. These relationships are usually not positive. Only one species benefit from this relationship.
Biomass in Different Trophic Levels
The biomass in different trophic levels are different. The biomass gets lower and lower as the trophic levels get higher. This is because only a small portion, about 10%, of the energy consumed by the species in the next trophic level is taken in. When this stacks up, animals in the higher trophic levels such as the Tertiary Consumers and Decomposers will not get a lot of energy. This is why they have to find a lot of food and take in a lot of energy. It is a lot more difficult for them.
Removal/Severe Reduction of a Species
If even one species were removed or severely taken out of the biome, the whole system would get messed up. Each and every species is important in the flow of energy. For example, if a population of a species in the Primary Consumer's trophic level was demolished, energy flow and balance of animals would not work very well. The animals of the higher trophic levels would end up needing more energy and eating and killing more species from the Primary Consumer's trophic level. This would either mean the destruction of a whole trophic level in the future or some animals would have to adapt into being omnivores or herbivores to fill in the space for the species taken away from the system. This is why every species is important to the biome and food web.
Catastrophic Event to Succession
If a catastrophic event happened in the desert, succession would actually be fairly easy. This is because the desert does not have many plants or life in it anyways. If an earthquake, fire, or even a volcano eruption occurred in the desert, animals could run away for a while and come back when everything settles down. The desert's topography is filled with mostly sand. Sand can't really be destroyed and is not that important to life. So because of the lack of life in the desert, succession should be easy in the desert of a disaster happened.
Human Impact
Human impact on the desert would affect many animals, but not as much if we compare it to other biomes. Like stated in the Catastrophic Section, the desert has a lack of life. This would make it easier for humans to make things in deserts because it wouldn't be as harmful as other biomes. First of all, humans wouldn't really want to build anything in deserts because of the lack of life and the unpleasant climate. Even though famous deserts like Death Valley are tourist attractions, deserts are usually not visited by many.