Ecology eLabBook
Define ecological terms
Task 1
Define the terms:
Habitat
Species
Individual
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Food Chain
Food Web
Producers
Consumers
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore
Decomposer
Biotic factor
Abiotic factor
Do SciPad Pg 159
Use the websites below to begin finding definitions. Keep adding definitions as you study this unit. These websites are also useful to use for learning and revision.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/interdependence/adaptationsrev1.shtml
http://www.nobraintoosmall.co.nz/students/juniorscience/Y10/pdfs/Yr10_communities_rev.pdf#zoom=100
Describe how food chains and food webs show feeding relationships in a community.
Food Chains
A food chain is a simple way of showing the direction of energy flow from one organism to another.
The source of all Energy in a community is the Sun.
Energy is passed from organism to organism as food.
Task 1
Define the terms:
Habitat
Species
Individual
Population
Community
Ecosystem
Food Chain
Food Web
Producers
Consumers
Herbivore
Carnivore
Omnivore
Decomposer
Biotic factor
Abiotic factor
Do SciPad Pg 159
Use the websites below to begin finding definitions. Keep adding definitions as you study this unit. These websites are also useful to use for learning and revision.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/interdependence/adaptationsrev1.shtml
http://www.nobraintoosmall.co.nz/students/juniorscience/Y10/pdfs/Yr10_communities_rev.pdf#zoom=100
Describe how food chains and food webs show feeding relationships in a community.
Food Chains
A food chain is a simple way of showing the direction of energy flow from one organism to another.
The source of all Energy in a community is the Sun.
Energy is passed from organism to organism as food.
The arrows show the direction that the energy is flowing.
It always goes from food source to eater!
Grass --> Mouse means the grass is being eaten by the mouse
Grass --> Mouse means the mouse is being eaten by the grass!!!
Task 2
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/producersconsumers.htm
Use this website and:
Get an idea of how food chains work.
Write definitions for producer, consumer, herbivore, omnivore, decomposer
Play the game “Producers Consumers Decomposers”
Study the “Bigger Food Chain”
Task 3
Select a NZ animal or plant and write a food chain for it. Get the information either from books or via the web.
Trophic Level
Trophic levels are best way to describe where an organism is found in the food chain.
Trophic level 1 (TL1) is the first link in the chain; TL2 is the second link; TL3 is the third link and so on.
Task 4
Look at these two food chains:
It always goes from food source to eater!
Grass --> Mouse means the grass is being eaten by the mouse
Grass --> Mouse means the mouse is being eaten by the grass!!!
Task 2
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/producersconsumers.htm
Use this website and:
Get an idea of how food chains work.
Write definitions for producer, consumer, herbivore, omnivore, decomposer
Play the game “Producers Consumers Decomposers”
Study the “Bigger Food Chain”
Task 3
Select a NZ animal or plant and write a food chain for it. Get the information either from books or via the web.
Trophic Level
Trophic levels are best way to describe where an organism is found in the food chain.
Trophic level 1 (TL1) is the first link in the chain; TL2 is the second link; TL3 is the third link and so on.
Task 4
Look at these two food chains:
Fill in the following: (TR is Trophic level)
Top Food chain
Producer’s TL
Herbivore’s TL
Omnivore’s TL
Carnivore’s TL
Bottom Food chain
Producer’s TL
Omnivore’s TL
Carnivore’s TL
Producers are always TL? because
Herbivores are always TL? because
Carnivores can be TL? to TL? because
Omnivores can be TL?? or TL? to ? because
Task 5
Complete SciPad Pg 166-167
Food Webs
Food webs show the feeding relationships between all the species in a community.
Task 6
Top Food chain
Producer’s TL
Herbivore’s TL
Omnivore’s TL
Carnivore’s TL
Bottom Food chain
Producer’s TL
Omnivore’s TL
Carnivore’s TL
Producers are always TL? because
Herbivores are always TL? because
Carnivores can be TL? to TL? because
Omnivores can be TL?? or TL? to ? because
Task 5
Complete SciPad Pg 166-167
Food Webs
Food webs show the feeding relationships between all the species in a community.
Task 6
From this food web write:
A food chain with three links: X
A food chain with four links: X
A food chain with five links: X
The name an omnivore: X
All of the TL2 animals: X
Task 7
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Complete the games on this page
Write down the completed food web in Sorter 1
X
Write down the key in sorter 2
X
Task 8
Complete Scipad pg 171-172
Extention activities
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Life-in-the-Sea/Sci-Media/Video/Understanding-food-webs
Watch the video.
What can we predict by studying food webs X
Play the game on this website a few times try different food chains.
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Animations-and-Interactives/Bioaccumulation-in-the-sea
Why has the toxin accumulated in the shark. –X
What predications can we make about the numbers of the other organisms in the food web if sharks die with 4 dots of toxin –X
Scientists used their knowledge of food chains to answer the question below. Read the notes and play the game. Write a paragraph explaining what killed the dogs on Takapuna beach.-X
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Animations-and-Interactives/What-killed-the-dogs
Name the toxin. X
Why do some slugs have more of the toxin in their bodies than others? X
Explain how population sizes change when the ecological balance is upset.
If a species population falls because of something unbalancing the ecosystem, it will affect population sizes in the other species found in the
community:
Species that are eaten by the affected species will increase in number
Species eating affected species will decrease n numbers
To keep the same population size a species may have to
o eat more of one of its food sources
o switch to eating a different type of food source
Why do population sizes change?
Population sizes fall due to having less energy available for reproduction.
Population sizes rise due to less individuals dying which means there is more reproduction.
A food chain with three links: X
A food chain with four links: X
A food chain with five links: X
The name an omnivore: X
All of the TL2 animals: X
Task 7
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/foodchains.html
Complete the games on this page
Write down the completed food web in Sorter 1
X
Write down the key in sorter 2
X
Task 8
Complete Scipad pg 171-172
Extention activities
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Life-in-the-Sea/Sci-Media/Video/Understanding-food-webs
Watch the video.
What can we predict by studying food webs X
Play the game on this website a few times try different food chains.
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Animations-and-Interactives/Bioaccumulation-in-the-sea
Why has the toxin accumulated in the shark. –X
What predications can we make about the numbers of the other organisms in the food web if sharks die with 4 dots of toxin –X
Scientists used their knowledge of food chains to answer the question below. Read the notes and play the game. Write a paragraph explaining what killed the dogs on Takapuna beach.-X
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Animations-and-Interactives/What-killed-the-dogs
Name the toxin. X
Why do some slugs have more of the toxin in their bodies than others? X
Explain how population sizes change when the ecological balance is upset.
If a species population falls because of something unbalancing the ecosystem, it will affect population sizes in the other species found in the
community:
Species that are eaten by the affected species will increase in number
Species eating affected species will decrease n numbers
To keep the same population size a species may have to
o eat more of one of its food sources
o switch to eating a different type of food source
Why do population sizes change?
Population sizes fall due to having less energy available for reproduction.
Population sizes rise due to less individuals dying which means there is more reproduction.
Task 8
If humans were to use a chemical to kill all the insects, (the grasshopper) what would happen to the population sizes of the following organisms? Delete the wrong answer and give a reason.
Frog: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Mouse: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Berry tree: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Snake: Increase/Decrease in number because X
What would the snake need to do to keep its population the same size if it can’t eat frogs? X
Extension
Watch the video and answer the questions
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Video/Asian-date-mussels
Where did the Asian Date mussel come from? –X
Why do sea slugs live near Asian Date Mussel? –X
What caused the sea slugs to turn up on the beaches? –X
Why are there not many slugs on beaches now -X
Explain why dogs aren’t dying on Takapuna beach at the moment? –X
What information would you need to find out know when the slugs might become a problem for dogs again? –X
Read the information below
http://library.thinkquest.org/15873/zoo/ecology/webs/loss.shtml
Draw the food web for the farm ecosystem –X
What was the result of the farmer removing the foxes? –X
Play the game on this web site http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/earthsystems/food/foodweb4.html
What happens if lots of Herons fly in? –X
What happens if fertiliser comes into the pond and the algae” bloom” or increase? -X
Describe how decomposers are important to the ecosystem.
Decomposers include bacteria and fungi
Decomposers consume dead organisms and waste matter. They obtain their energy from the large molecules inside the dead/waste matter.
The natural world is kept in balance by decomposers. All nutrients are cycled from the soil, water through dead organisms and wastes and back to the air again by decomposers.
Task 9
Read the information on the web site then do the activity at the bottom of the web page for homework. Record your observations in a table. X
http://citadel.sjfc.edu/students/naa07113/e-port/decomposers.html
Task 10
Carbon
Needed for making the chemicals living things need.
Plants use carbon dioxide from the air to make food, animals eat the plants, and both plants and animals produce wastes and die.
Decomposers release carbon as carbon dioxide through respiration back into the air which would otherwise be trapped in dead organisms and
wastes.
Find a picture or take a photo of the carbon cycle and paste it here. Show on the picture where decomposers are important to the carbon cycle. X
Task 11
Nitrogen
Needed to make proteins and DNA.
Some bacteria turn nitrogen gas to nitrates (so organisms can use it) and other bacteria turn wastes back into nitrogen gas.
The cycle is never broken as decomposers remove nitrogen from the air and then put it back again after organisms have used it.
Find a picture or take a photo of the nitrogen cycle and paste it here. Show on the picture where decomposers are important to the nitrogen cycle. X
Task 12
Watch the clip below. Interview staff and students and others to make a short clip of your own showing what they know about composting and the cycling of nutrients.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/348-how-composting-works-video.htm
Identify examples of adaptations of organisms that help them survive.
Task 13
Watch the video and play the game
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/interdependence/adaptationsact.shtml
List the adaptations of camels and of polar bears to their environment -X
Examples of adaptations in organisms
Structural - some part of the body e.g. wings, claws, colour of fur
Functional/physiological - a process in the body e.g. poison, warm-blooded, digestive enzymes
Behavioural - some action organism performs e.g. herding, hibernation, hiding, mating displays.
Task 14
For the following organisms, give examples of each type of adaptation that it has. Use some of the examples above and there are websites that can help you. Add a picture of the organism.
Oak tree http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/tempdf.html
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Rattlesnake http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Diamondback%20Rattlesnake.php
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Penguin http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/adaptations/penguins.htm
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Lion http://www.buzzle.com/articles/adaptations-of-african-lions.html
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Task 15
Complete SciPad Pg 161-162
Explain how adaptations enable organisms to survive in their environment.
Adaptations allow organisms to survive in their environment because those individuals that are best adapted to the environment live and produce offspring. The habitat contains abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors.
If humans were to use a chemical to kill all the insects, (the grasshopper) what would happen to the population sizes of the following organisms? Delete the wrong answer and give a reason.
Frog: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Mouse: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Berry tree: Increase/Decrease in number because X
Snake: Increase/Decrease in number because X
What would the snake need to do to keep its population the same size if it can’t eat frogs? X
Extension
Watch the video and answer the questions
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Toxins/Sci-Media/Video/Asian-date-mussels
Where did the Asian Date mussel come from? –X
Why do sea slugs live near Asian Date Mussel? –X
What caused the sea slugs to turn up on the beaches? –X
Why are there not many slugs on beaches now -X
Explain why dogs aren’t dying on Takapuna beach at the moment? –X
What information would you need to find out know when the slugs might become a problem for dogs again? –X
Read the information below
http://library.thinkquest.org/15873/zoo/ecology/webs/loss.shtml
Draw the food web for the farm ecosystem –X
What was the result of the farmer removing the foxes? –X
Play the game on this web site http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/earthsystems/food/foodweb4.html
What happens if lots of Herons fly in? –X
What happens if fertiliser comes into the pond and the algae” bloom” or increase? -X
Describe how decomposers are important to the ecosystem.
Decomposers include bacteria and fungi
Decomposers consume dead organisms and waste matter. They obtain their energy from the large molecules inside the dead/waste matter.
The natural world is kept in balance by decomposers. All nutrients are cycled from the soil, water through dead organisms and wastes and back to the air again by decomposers.
Task 9
Read the information on the web site then do the activity at the bottom of the web page for homework. Record your observations in a table. X
http://citadel.sjfc.edu/students/naa07113/e-port/decomposers.html
Task 10
Carbon
Needed for making the chemicals living things need.
Plants use carbon dioxide from the air to make food, animals eat the plants, and both plants and animals produce wastes and die.
Decomposers release carbon as carbon dioxide through respiration back into the air which would otherwise be trapped in dead organisms and
wastes.
Find a picture or take a photo of the carbon cycle and paste it here. Show on the picture where decomposers are important to the carbon cycle. X
Task 11
Nitrogen
Needed to make proteins and DNA.
Some bacteria turn nitrogen gas to nitrates (so organisms can use it) and other bacteria turn wastes back into nitrogen gas.
The cycle is never broken as decomposers remove nitrogen from the air and then put it back again after organisms have used it.
Find a picture or take a photo of the nitrogen cycle and paste it here. Show on the picture where decomposers are important to the nitrogen cycle. X
Task 12
Watch the clip below. Interview staff and students and others to make a short clip of your own showing what they know about composting and the cycling of nutrients.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/348-how-composting-works-video.htm
Identify examples of adaptations of organisms that help them survive.
Task 13
Watch the video and play the game
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa/interdependence/adaptationsact.shtml
List the adaptations of camels and of polar bears to their environment -X
Examples of adaptations in organisms
Structural - some part of the body e.g. wings, claws, colour of fur
Functional/physiological - a process in the body e.g. poison, warm-blooded, digestive enzymes
Behavioural - some action organism performs e.g. herding, hibernation, hiding, mating displays.
Task 14
For the following organisms, give examples of each type of adaptation that it has. Use some of the examples above and there are websites that can help you. Add a picture of the organism.
Oak tree http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/tempdf.html
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Rattlesnake http://www.desertmuseum.org/kids/oz/long-fact-sheets/Diamondback%20Rattlesnake.php
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Penguin http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/adaptations/penguins.htm
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Lion http://www.buzzle.com/articles/adaptations-of-african-lions.html
Structural: X
Physiological: X
Behavioural: X
Task 15
Complete SciPad Pg 161-162
Explain how adaptations enable organisms to survive in their environment.
Adaptations allow organisms to survive in their environment because those individuals that are best adapted to the environment live and produce offspring. The habitat contains abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) factors.
Task 16
Complete SciPad Pg 163-165
Complete SciPad Pg 163-165