Apex Predator

To understand the energy flow within an ecosystem, the students are studying the feeding behavior of an owl. The owl, as an apex predator on land, reveals part of its most recent meals, naturally. Owls ingest whole large chunks of their prey. Later, they cough up undigested matter in a type of "fur ball", called a pellet. Within the pellet, the students have discovered the skeletal remains of animals eaten by the owl. By analyzing the contents of the pellet, and with careful detective work to identify the bones, students reconstruct a skeleton of one of the owl's prey. Knowing what the owl eats helps the students understand more about the ecosystem in which the owl lives. What can you infer about the role of the apex predator and its impact on the ecosystem?