Test: Click Reset. Click Advance year a couple times. Add as many bears to the forest as possible. Then go forward a couple more years. Select the DATA tab. Which populations were hurt by adding bears? The deer population wont be great,

Classify: Are bears producers or consumers? Explain your reasoning.

Draw conclusions: An organism that breaks down organic matter into simpler materials (like carbon dioxide) is called a decomposer. Decomposers absorb nutrients from living things or the organic matter they leave behind. They do not need to kill to get their food.

Do your results suggest bears are decomposers? Explain your reasoning.

Challenge: Using the Gizmo, figure out what bears prefer to eat most. Write your results and reasoning in the space below.