The Ecology of Grand Canyon National Park Symbiotic Relationships Mr./Ms. First Name Last Name Mr. Kevin Jackson, 6th Grade Science West End Middle Prep – Nashville, Tennessee Park Background Park Species Food Web Grand Canyon National Park was founded on February 26, 1919 when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Grand Canyon National Park Act. It is maintained and protected by the National Park Service. It is an extremely large national park, and it is made up of 1,217,262 acres. Although it is has been visited by Americans for many years, humans have inhabited the area of the Grand Canyon for over 10,000 years. Native American tribes such as the Pueblos and Navajo were some of the oldest people living in the area before being forced to reservations. The park hosted 5,969,811 visitors in 2016. Although people come from all over the world to witness the canyon, the most popularly visited spots include the South Rim and lookout points such as Mather Point and the Skywalk. The Skywalk is a horseshoe-shaped glass bridge that hangs over the edge of the canyon at 1,160 feet above the Colorado River. Producers: What is the definition of a producer? Figure 4. Figure 5. Figure 6. White Fir Alligator Juniper Honey Mosquite Abies concolor Juniperus deppeana Prosopis glandulosa Consumers: What is the definition of consumers? Figure 7. Figure 8. Figure 9. Javelina Collared Lizard Spotted Skunk Tayassuidae Crotaphytus collaris Spilogale gracilis Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore Decomposers: What is the definition of a decomposer? Figure 9. Earthworm Lumbracina Tertiary Consumers Secondary Consumers Primary Consumers Park Location Park Coordinates: 36°03’19”N, 112°07’19”W Park Location: Grand Canyon National Park is located in the northern part of Arizona in the American southwest. Desert Biome The Grand Canyon National Park is located in a desert biome. A desert biome is characterized as a large area with extremely hot and dry conditions. Desert biomes receive very little precipitation throughout the year. Plants and animals have made many adaptations to survive in the extremely arid conditions. Producers Abiotic Factors Weather Describe the temperature and weather patterns of your national park. Altitude: Major Water Features Figure 13. Figure 14. Figure 15. Colorado River (If necessary) (If Necessary) Average Yearly Rainfall: Top Predator Figure 10. American Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus What is a top predator? What are their positive effects on the ecosystem? Figure 1. Grand Canyon National Park Symbiotic Relationships What is a symbiotic relationship? What are the types of symbiotic relationships? Figure 11. Figure 12. Tarantula Hawk Grand Canyon Black Tarantula Figure 2. Grand Canyon National Park’s location in the United States Figure 3. Arizona State Flag Mutualism in the Grand Canyon National Park In the Grand Canyon National Park, the Tarantula Hawk and the Grand Canyon Black Tarantula have a parasitic relationship. The Tarantula Hawk hunts the tarantula and stings the spider causing it to become paralyzed. After the sting, the wasp lays its eggs in the spider. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the tarantula while it is still alive. In this relationship, the Tarantula Hawk benefits and the Grand Canyon Black Tarantula is harmed. Chart 1. Yearly Average High & Low Temperatures of Grand Canyon National Park.