Population Dynamics
Inquiry question: What effect can one species have on the other species in a community?
Investigate and determine relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem, including:
the impact of abiotic factors
The impact of biotic factors, including predation, competition and symbiotic relationships
The ecological niches occupied by species
Predicting consequences for populations in ecosystems due to predation, competition, symbiosis and disease
Measuring populations of organisms using sampling techniques
Explain a recent extinction event
Past Ecosystems
Inquiry question: How do selection pressures within an ecosystem influence evolutionary change?
Analyse palaeontological and geological evidence that can be used to provide evidence for past changes in ecosystems, including but not limited to:
Aboriginal rock paintings
Rock structure and formation
Ice core drilling
Investigate and analyze past and present technologies that have been used to determine evidence for past changes, for example:
Radiometric dating
Gas analysis
Analyze evidence that present-day organisms have evolved from organisms in the past by examining and interpreting a range of secondary sources to evaluate processes, claims and conclusions relating to the evolution of organisms in Australia, for example:
Small mammals
Sclerophyll plants
Investigate the reasons for changes in past ecosystems, by:
Interpreting a range of secondary source to develop an understanding of the changes in biotic and abiotic factors over short and long periods of time
Evaluating hypotheses that account for identified trends
Future Ecosystems
Inquiry question: How can human activity impact on an ecosystem?
Investigate changes in past ecosystems that may inform our approach to the management of future ecosystems, including:
The role of human-induced selection pressures on the extinction of species
Models that humans can use to predict future impacts on biodiversity
The role of changing climate on ecosystems
Investigate practices used to restore damaged ecosystems, Country or Place, for example:
Mining sites
Land degradation from agricultural practices