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Date
Ecosystem and Food Web of
Northwestern Ontario Boreal Forest
Species
Habitat
Diet
Notes
Moose
Wooded areas,
swamps, lakeshores
and streams.
White-tailed Deer
Wooded areas, forest
margins, cedar
swamps and open
brushy areas.
Wolves may attack
calves. Drawn to
roads for refuge from
black flies to find salt.
Thin coat and narrow
hooves means cannot
survive severe winters
and heavy snows.
Grey ‘Timber’ Wolf
Where a good supply
of food is available.
Red Fox
Forest clearings and
in low shrub-covered
areas.
Mountain Lion
Variety of habitats but
prefers wooded areas
with an abundant
supply of food.
Forested areas and
swamps.
Winter: twigs, shrubs,
bark of saplings.
Summer: Leaves,
water plants, grass
Winter: Buds, twigs,
and evergreen
needles. Summer:
Grass, fruit and
leaves, evergreen
needles and
mushrooms.
Moose, white-tailed
deer, and caribou.
hares, ruffed grouse,
beaver, muskrats and
rodents like mice,
shrews and squirrels.
Limited by what is
available. Berries,
nuts, small rodents,
birds, eggs, frogs and
insects. Scavenge
left-over carcasses of
larger game.
White-tailed deer,
moose, hares, beaver,
muskrats, mice and
squirrels.
Buds, berries, nuts,
roots, grubs, worms
mice and shrews.
Black Bear
Snowshoe Hare
Densely forested
areas, swamps and
brushland.
Summer: clover,
grasses and ferns.
Winter: Buds, saplings
and bark of woody
plants. Can also be
cannibalistic.
Pine Martin
Mature coniferous
forests; also in mixed
stands and cedar
swamps.
Ponds, lakes, slowmoving rivers and
creeks beside
forested areas.
Rodents; also birds,
insects, reptiles, fish,
crayfish, fruits and
carrion.
Summer: leaves,
buds, water
vegetation and
underwater roots.
Beaver
Global Geography 12
Travel in packs,
competitive, only prey
to humans.
Solitary hunter.
Carrier of rabies.
Uncommon due to
forestry, mining and
urbanization.
They often become
trapped in populated
areas and need to be
relocated back into
the wilderness.
The size of population
is directly related to
number of predators.
owls, hawks, eagles,
lynx, bobcat, red fox,
coyote, gray wolf,
black bear and mink.
Extensively trapped
for its fur in the past
Creates wetlands
which become
breeding and feeding
habitats of waterfowl,
Source: http://www.borealforest.org/edresc.htm
Name:
Pygmy Shrew
Striped Skunk
Date
Mixedwood
environments, bogs
and wet fields.
Mixed woodlands,
pastures and fields,
often close to water.
Little Brown Bat
Caves, mine tunnels
and hollow trees; also
barns, attics and other
building crevices.
Blue Jay
Coniferous trees.
Nest: sticks, moss,
lichens, grasses and
soft items, grass and
feathers.
Excavates a cavity in
a deciduous or
coniferous tree.
Lakes and larger
rivers. Nest: a simple
depression in the
ground.
Fish-bearing water.
Deciduous, coniferous
or mixed woods.
Flattish nest is made
of twigs and small
branches in the upper
parts of tall trees
Lakes and larger
rivers. Nest: bulky
mass of sticks and
debris placed in a
tree, on a telephone
pole, on rocks or on
the ground.
Deciduous forests and
woodlands. Nest:
Rock crevice, a hollow
tree or in a hollow
fallen log without
lining.
Lakes and streams
Pilated Woodpecker
Loon
Great Blue Heron
Osprey
Turkey Vulture
Minnow Family
Global Geography 12
Winter: mainly bark of
trees and shrubs.
Insect larvae, beetles,
spiders and carrion.
Rodents, young of
small mammals,
frogs, salamanders,
ground-nesting birds
and their eggs; grubs,
insects, nuts, berries,
carrion and untended
garbage.
Insect populations
Fruits, insects, grains,
and acorns, and
sometimes the eggs
and nestlings of other
birds
Insect populations
fish and other waterdependent mammals
Often falls prey to
hawks, owls, snakes
and other carnivores
Does well near
suburbs
During its feedings, a
bat can fill its stomach
in 15 min. and then
empty its digestive
track several times a
night.
Does not migrate
south in the winter.
Small fish, frogs,
crustaceans and roots
Fish, frogs and water
snakes. It will also eat
salamanders, large
insects, mice and
other small rodents
Lives in colonies.
Fish
Toxic Chemicals from
humans have made
their way through the
food chain and cause
their egg shells to
crack when they sit on
them.
Can coast for hours,
swaying from side to
side and riding on
rising columns of
warm air
Carrion, and will eat
almost anything.
Bottom ooze, algae,
or aquatic plants,
others: zooplankton,
crustaceans, insects,
Prey to predatory
birds, mammals and
fishes.
Source: http://www.borealforest.org/edresc.htm
Name:
Date
worms, and other
minnows
Smaller fish
Rainbow Trout
Lakes
Yellow-Spotted
Salamander
Fish free small ponds
Eastern Garter
Snake
Moist places along
shorelines open
plains, grasslands,
and forests or forest
edge.
Woodland edges or
small wetlands.
Flowers
Dark, cool, moist
places. Under rocks
or leaves.
Frequently mixed with
other species.
Moderately welldrained, moist sites at
low to intermediate
elevations.
Forest clearings,
hillsides and
riverbanks; usually on
well-drained sites.
Spring Peeper
Crab Spider
Snail
Balsam Fir
Red Maple
Pin Cherry
Global Geography 12
Earthworms, snails,
slugs, spiders,
millipedes, and
insects
Earthworms, fish,
frogs, toads,
salamanders, mice,
and birds' eggs
Often hunted by
humans.
Prey to skunks,
raccoons, and snakes
Very adaptable.
Small insects, spiders
and worms
Smaller insects
Plant matter
Hunt at night.
Sun, water, air, =
sugar.
Sun, water, air, =
sugar.
Food to moose and
deer in sapling form.
Food to moose and
deer in sapling form.
Sun, water, air, =
sugar.
Berries are food to
many species.
Very colourful.
Source: http://www.borealforest.org/edresc.htm
Name:
Date
Instructions:
Use the chart and figures 3.24 and 3.26 on page 70 and 71 in your text book as
a guide to create an image of the diverse ecosystem of the Boreal Forest.
Your task is to draw the ecosystem including the habitat as best you can. Once
you have drawn the ecosystem, link the variety of species together with arrows
to show the transfer of sunlight energy through a food web. Remember: the
arrows point in the direction that the energy is moving (from prey to predator).
If you need clarification, read the section in your textbook called, “Energy Levels
in an Ecosystem” on page 71.
Your food web should include a variety of species. You need to choose 15-20 to
make this work. Once you have completed the food web, answer the following
questions.
1. What will happen to your ecosystem if you removed the crab spider?
2. What will happen to your ecosystem if you removed the Pin Cherry?
3. What will happen to your ecosystem if you removed the Mountain Lion
and Timber Wolf?
4. How would clear cutting, pesticide runoff, or the introduction of a new
species affect this ecosystem?
5. Thoroughly explain the importance of biodiversity in relation to this web.
Global Geography 12
Source: http://www.borealforest.org/edresc.htm