Catfish Research Paper

In the freshwater biome, the catfish has a unique role in many cycles and systems. The catfish is

a predator for many organisms, but is also hunted by other animals. A catfish eats phytoplankton,

zooplankton, frogs, insects, and chironomids, creatures similar to mosquitos. Catfish are hunted by

humans, herons, ospreys, eagles, and some types of sunfish. When a catfish is decomposed, bacteria

breaks it down into a simpler form of matter. The producers, phytoplankton, are eaten by the catfish,

the consumer, who also eats other consumers, chironomids, frogs, and insects, and the catfish, after

death, is decomposed by the bacteria present in the biome. Bacteria in the biome also decomposes all

of the other organisms, whether they

are consumers or producers. In the

The presence of catfish lower the presence and amount of prey

the catfish has. When catfish are removed from the biome, the prey population increases due to the

lack of predatory creatures. The predators to the catfish also have their population lowered because of

the lack of food. Catfish that have a territory that they are protecting, limit the amount of territories are

available to other catfish. Catfish have many adaptations that enable them to survive. One adaptation

that catfish have are their three barbels that give them protection. When the barbels come in contact

with another organism, they sting the creature. The catfish has a great sense of smell, sight, and taste

that help them navigate through murky waters. The good sight allows them to see clearly, the good

sense of smell allows them to smell other organisms in the water, and the catfish has taste buds all over

its entire body, allowing it to sense what is around it. The catfish is a unique organism because of its

interdependence in the biome, roles in systems and cycles, interactions in the population, interactions

with other populations, and how it adapts to biotic and abiotic