Intro to ecology - including assignments

• Biologie
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2

LESSON 2

Learning goals:

• I understand the various levels of organisation of an organism's surroundings.
• I can identify various factors that influence an organism's life and I can sort these factors into biotic and abiotic factors.

HABITAT

POPULATION

COMMUNITY

BIOSPHERE

BIOME

ECOSYSTEM

ENVIRONMENT

Biotic factors

Abiotic factors

Some organisms don't need other organisms as food. Some organisms can make their own food. We call them autotroph. Auto (=self), trophein (=feeding)

Some organisms do feed on others. We call them heterotroph. Heteros (=others), trophies (=feeding)

"PREDATION"

• The predator hunts the prey, kills it and eats it.
• Predators and prey are adapted to each other

Predator- prey cycle

1

2

3

4

5

Assignments on classroom

first 5 minutes in silence

Assignment 1: True/False

_____ 1. Biotic factors include sunlight, soil, temperature, and water. 

_____ 2. Like nutrients and water, energy also recycles through an ecosystem. 

_____ 3. An ecosystem consists of all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area and their interactions.

_____ 4. A niche refers to the place an organism lives within its ecosystem. 

_____ 5. Autotrophs make their own food. 

_____ 6. Carnivores include lions, polar bears, hawks, frogs, salmon, and deer.

_____ 7. The habitat is the role of a species in its ecosystem. 

_____ 8. The ecosystem means the same as an environment

Assignment 1:

__FALSE__ 1. Biotic factors include sunlight, soil, temperature, and water. 

__TRUE__ 2. Like nutrients and water, energy also recycles through an ecosystem. 

__TRUE___ 3. An ecosystem consists of all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area and their interactions.

__FALSE___ 4. A niche refers to the place an organism lives within its ecosystem. 

__TRUE___ 5. Autotrophs make their own food. 

__FALSE___ 6. Carnivores include lions, polar bears, hawks, frogs, salmon, and deer.

__FALSE___ 7. The habitat is the role of a species in its ecosystem. 

__FALSE___ 8. The ecosystem means the same as an environment

Assignment 2

1. Examples of biotic factors include 

(a) grass, flowers, and sunlight 

(b) grass, trees, bees, and ants. 

(c) grass, trees, soil, and water. 

(d) all of the above 

2. Components of an ecosystem include 

(a) soil, sunlight, water, and weather. 

(b) grass, trees, bees, and ants. 

(c) all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area. 

(d) all of the above. 

Assignment 2

1. Examples of biotic factors include 

(a) grass, flowers, and sunlight 

(b) grass, trees, bees, and ants. 

(c) grass, trees, soil, and water. 

(d) all of the above 

2. Components of an ecosystem include 

(a) soil, sunlight, water, and weather. 

(b) grass, trees, bees, and ants. 

(c) all the biotic and abiotic factors in an area. 

(d) all of the above. 

3. Which describes the possible flow of energy in an ecosystem? 

(a) snakes to frogs to caterpillars to trees 

(b) trees to frogs to snakes to caterpillars 

(c) trees to caterpillars to frogs to snakes 

(d) caterpillars to trees to frogs to snakes 

4. The relationship between autotrophs and producers is 

(a) that autotrophs make the food the producers eat. 

(b) that producers make the food the autotrophs eat. 

(c) that autotrophs eat producers. 

(d) that they are the same organisms. 

3. Which describes the possible flow of energy in an ecosystem? 

(a) snakes to frogs to caterpillars to trees 

(b) trees to frogs to snakes to caterpillars 

(c) trees to caterpillars to frogs to snakes 

(d) caterpillars to trees to frogs to snakes 

4. The relationship between autotrophs and producers is 

(a) that autotrophs make the food the producers eat. 

(b) that producers make the food the autotrophs eat. 

(c) that autotrophs eat producers. 

(d) that they are the same organisms. 

5. Which statement best describes a trophic level? 

(a) A trophic level is the feeding position of an organism in a food chain or web. 

(b) A trophic level is the position of an organism in an ecosystem. 

(c) A trophic level is the niche of an organism in an ecosystem. 

(d) A trophic level is the feeding role of an organism in an ecosystem. 

6. Which statement best defines ecology? 

(a) The study of how living things interact with each other. 

(b) The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment. 

(c) The study of how living things interact with their environment. 

(d) The study of how living things interact with their habitat.

5. Which statement best describes a trophic level? 

(a) A trophic level is the feeding position of an organism in a food chain or web. 

(b) A trophic level is the position of an organism in an ecosystem. 

(c) A trophic level is the niche of an organism in an ecosystem. 

(d) A trophic level is the feeding role of an organism in an ecosystem. 

6. Which statement best defines ecology? 

(a) The study of how living things interact with each other. 

(b) The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment. 

(c) The study of how living things interact with their environment. 

(d) The study of how living things interact with their habitat.

Assignment 3:

1. What is shown in this picture, is it a habitat or and ecosystem. Please explain your answer in details:
2. Name 4 abiotic factors that could influence life in this pond and explain why for each one.
3. Each organism has a niche within the pond, choose 4 organisms and look up what their niche is.

image

Assignment 3:

1. What is shown in this picture, is it a habitat or and ecosystem. Please explain your answer in details: THIS IS AN ECOSYSTEM BECAUSE IT CONTAINS BOTH BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC FACTORS.
2. Name 4 abiotic factors that could influence life in this pond and explain why for each one.

• AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT: INFLUENCES THE AMOUNT OF SUNLIGHT PLANTS CAN DO
• TOXINS: IF THE WATER GETS POLLUTED THIS CAN AFFECTS THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN IT
• TEMPERATURE: IF THE WATER GETS TOO HOT OR TOO COLD THIS COULD AFFECT THE ORGANISMS LIVING IN IT.
• SPACE: IS THERE ENOUGH SPACE FOR ALL POPULATIONS TO EXPAND OR WILL THIS BE AT THE COST OF ANOTHER SPECIES

• 3. Each organism has a niche within the pond, choose 4 organisms and look up what their niche is.
• YELLOW WATERLILY: does photosynthesis and provide shelter for smaller animals.
• NYMPH: later becomes a dragonfly, but is also a food source for tadpoles and froglets.
• RAMSHORN SNAIL: removes waste from pond bottom and is a food supply for the newts and perch.
• WATER SCORPION: Water scorpions directly help ecosystems by controlling smaller insect populations.

image

Poster - Project:

• select an apex predator
• do the 7 start-up questions
• a biome diagram filled in for your apex predator
• name and explain biotic / abiotic factors (5 each) that influence your apex predator
  
• Show in pictures and explain at least 4 adaptations your apex predator has made to be able to survive at least:
•  1 structural, 1 behavioral & 1 physiological

Poster - Project:

• select an apex predator
• 7 write some facts/ interesting information about the animal/environment/prey
• a biome diagram filled in for your apex predator (who eats who?)
• name and explain biotic / abiotic factors (5 each) that influence your apex predator
  
• Show in pictures and explain at least 4 adaptations your apex predator has made to be able to survive at least: