Uk ecosystems

• What type of ecosystem is the Slapton Ley Reed Beds?

  Small-Scale Ecosystem
• What separates Slapton Ley from the sea?

  A shingle barrier
• What is one of the largest freshwater reed beds in Devon?

  Slapton Ley
• Why is Slapton Ley protected from over-development?

  It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a National Nature Reserve (NNR)
• What type of habitat do the reed beds provide?

  A habitat for lots of plants and animals
• What is one of the main producers in the Slapton Ley reed beds?

  Common reed
• Which birds are known to nest in the reed bed?

  Bitterns and herons
• What do sticklebacks and eels use the reeds for?

  For shelter
• Which insects lay eggs in the water of the reed beds?

  Dragonflies
• What do fish and frogs eat in the reed beds?

  Insect larvae
• How do reed roots benefit the ecosystem?

  They bind the soil together, preventing erosion
• What do consumers like moth larvae and water voles feed on?

  The reeds
• What is a typical food chain for the Slapton Ley reed bed?

  • Common reed
  • Moth larva
  • Eel
  • Bittern
• What components might be included in a typical food web in the reed bed?

  • Common reed
  • Moth larva
  • Dragonfly larva
  • Eel
  • Frog
  • Water beetle
  • Dragonfly
• What type of ecosystem are the Slapton Ley reed beds described as?

  An interdependent ecosystem
• What can drought do to the pools in the reed beds?

  It can dry them up
• What happens when one component of the reed beds changes?

  It can have a knock-on effect on other components
• What is a consequence of insects dying in the reed beds?

  Fish and frog populations decrease
• What happens to bittern numbers when fish and frog populations decline?

  Bittern numbers decline
• What effect does nutrient-rich runoff from farmland have on the lagoon?

  It increases surface algae growth
• What happens when waterweed plants in the lagoon die?

  Water beetles have less food, so their numbers decline
• What is the overall impact of changes in the reed beds on fish and eel populations?

  Fish and eel populations decline