Pacific Northwest Temperate Rainforest Food Web
Terrestrial
Tropical & Subtropical Coniferous Forests
Northwestern North America — British Columbia, Washington, Oregon
Description
The Pacific Northwest temperate rainforest is characterized by towering Douglas fir, western red cedar, and Sitka spruce in one of the most productive terrestrial ecosystems on Earth. Pacific salmon returning from the ocean transport marine-derived nutrients deep into the forest through bear and eagle predation, linking ocean and terrestrial food webs.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Nurse log fungi
Millipedes
Mycorrhizal networks
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
Black bear
Bald eagle
Cougar
3 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
Northern spotted owl
Fisher
Pacific giant salamander
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Roosevelt elk
Mountain beaver
Banana slug
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Douglas fir
Western red cedar
Sword fern
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Salmon carcasses transport marine nitrogen into riparian forest, fertilizing tree growth
- Bears drag salmon into the forest, distributing marine nutrients across the landscape
- Nurse logs from fallen old-growth trees support centuries of regeneration
- Northern spotted owls depend on old-growth forest structure for nesting