Question

shells and strong adhesive threads sels with thin shells or Predator-Prey Data marine waters off of Maine, blue mussels are preyed upon by crab Generally, Individual blue mussels with thick shells and strong adhes are able to resist predation more effectively than mussels with thin shol weak adhesive threads. Experimental design: Document blue mussel characteristics in six differen study sites (locations), two sites with no predator crabs, two sites with few predator crabs, and two sites with high numbers of predator crabs. Site Description of Site No crabs present No crabs present Few crabs present (less than one crab per square meter each day) Few crabs present (less than one crab per square meter each day) Many crabs present (one or more crabs per square meter each day) Many crabs present (one or more crabs per square meter each day) In your words, describe the experimental design, including the three different types of study sites and the mussel characteristics studied.

Answer 1

This is the experimental design for food chain in marine environment. it includes crabs as predator and blue mussels as prey. the experimental design constitutes of following steps namely,

1) Describe

2) Design

3) Collect

4) Predict.

in this experiment, three different sites are shown above which helps us to understand the balance between prey and predator. crab is secondary consumer while  blue mussels is primary consumer. therefore, blue mussels are get eaten by crabs for survival and for continuation of food chain.

from site 1 and 2, we can conclude that there is abundance of blue mussels with thick shells and strong adhesive threads from which they can be protected  effectively from crabs as they are unable to hunt them out. this is flourishing condition for mussels.

from site 3 and 4, we can conclude that blue mussels residing in this area are with mixed nature ,i.e, some with thick shells and other with thin shells. mussels with thick shells have higher chances of survival. therefore, the weaker ones( with thin shells) gets hunted easily. here, crabs can get moderate amount of food.

from site 5 and 6, we can conclude that here enormous amount of blue mussels with thin shells or weaker adhesive threads are present. therefore, crabs can eat vast amount of mussels because of little protection for them.

from the above data, we can say that three different sites have three different scenarios.