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The graph below shows some populations of species that live in a healthy coral
reef. You can use the Reef Simulator to see how human events can impact reefs. To
get started, choose a situation from the list below. Then predict what will
happen to these species, and see if your hypothesis is correct. Each situation that you
successfully complete will increase your salary by 1 clam.
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Show Legend
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Trophic Level:
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Producers make their own food. WhyReef's most common producers are plants, which make their food using sunlight.
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Herbivores only eat plants (producers).
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Lower Omnivores eat plants (producers) and smaller animals.
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Upper Omnivores eat plants (producers) and bigger animals.
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Lower Carnivores only eat other animals. WhyReef's lower carnivores usually eat smaller animals.
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Upper Carnivores only eat other animals. WhyReef's upper carnivores are likely to eat bigger animals.
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Corals are the most bizarre creatures on WhyReef! They are so weird, they actually get
their own trophic level. Here's why: They are animals (not plants!), and they are carnivores.
But they have tiny plants in their cells (which they don't eat -- they are NOT herbivores)
that make food for them (which they do eat). Corals are crazy, right?
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Hide Legend
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Resorts - What do you think about large resorts that dump sand near reefs to make beaches for their guests? Doesn't everyone just want a nice beach to relax on?