Ecosystem Interactions | Educating with Evidence | SIU

How do invasive species cause damage to ecosystems? When an invasive species is introduced, they have no natural predators in their new area. This means that there are no organisms that eat them and control their population. This leads to invasive species growing out of control. These invasive species require resources, which poses another challenge. Native organisms must compete with the invasive species to acquire these resources, and this competition can lead to disruptions in food webs. Resources may include food, water, nutrients, space, or sunlight.

Complete the following activity to help you better understand how invasive species impact food webs.

The image below depicts a basic food web, a visual representation of the complex network of interactions between different species in an ecosystem. Each arrow represents the flow of energy and nutrients between organisms. It indicates the relationship of who eats who in the ecosystem. For example, the frog and bird are both eaten by the snake.

The bird to the right of the food web is an invasive species in this ecosystem. This bird consumes rabbits, mice, and snakes. Click on the animal that will have to compete with the invasive for food.