Chapter 6: Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics

1. How can you describe the habitat in which an organism lives?
2. What are the possible consequences to an organism when the temperature becomes colder than the optimum range for the species?
3. Explain why no two species can occupy the same niche at the same time.
4. What is the difference between intraspecific competition and interspecific competition?
5. Why are predator-prey and herbivore-plant relationships important in shaping communities?
6. List and describe the three main types of symbiotic relationships.
7. Explain why ecological succession occurs.
8. How is primary succession different from secondary succession?
9. Describe the factors that affect the paths of secondary succession.
10. A section of tropical rainforest is cleared for a farm. Why might the forest community never return to its original form, even if the farm is abandoned?
11. Describe three different types of biodiversity.
12. Explain how biodiversity benefits medicine and agriculture.
13. Explain how diversity affects ecosystem services.
14. How do predators provide ecosystem services?
15. Why does the biodiversity of an ecosystem affect its resilience?

Assignment #3: Predator and Prey Dynamics

Step 1: Complete the provided worksheet.

Assignment #4: Role of Ecosystem Engineers in an Ecosystem

Step 1: Define ecosystem engineer (individually and then in pairs).

Step 2: Using the provided pictures, determine which organisms would be considered ecosystem engineers.

Requirements:

• Define parameters
• Explain reasoning

** Take a picture of your selections and add to google classroom.

Step 3: In a pair, determine the best ecosystem engineer for an estuary environment.

Step 4: Research the organism proposed (check with Ms. Burnett for species identification)

Provide the following:

• Provide information about the species (species name, scientific name, type of organism (family, group, etc.), role in the ecosystem, growth dynamics, etc.)
• Provide information about how the organism provides ecosystem services (food, nutrient cycling (nitrogen, caron, etc.), carbon storage, pest resistance, storm buffering, etc.)
• Explanation of how this organism is an ecosystem engineer.

Step 5: In a poster, present the above information.

Assignment #5: Oyster Aquaculture Field Study

Step 1: Participate in the field study.

You will be completing the following during the field study:

• Collecting data on oyster sizes.
• Collecting photo data for an oyster filtration demonstration.
• Collecting water samples and measure the nitrate and ammonia concentrations.
• Connect the impact of oysters on the nitrogen cycle.
• Graphing oyster size data.

Step 2: Upon return of the field study you will create a histogram of oyster sizes and a two paragraph reflection about your experiences on the field study.

Suggested reflection questions:

• What did you do during the field study?
• How did you collect data?
• What important information did you learn during the field study?
• How useful was the field study to your understanding of oysters?
• What improvements would you suggest?
• What activities or actions made the most impact on your understanding of oysters and their role in the estuarine environment?

Assignment #6: Succession Comic Strip

Step 1: Individually, you will create a 5 panel comic strip for primary and secondary succession.

Step 2: In two paragraphs, you will describe the process of succession seen in your diagram.

*** Important vocabulary should be used in your paragraph: disturbance, pioneer species, lichen, climate community, competition

Step 3: In a third paragraph, you will describe the importance of succession to ecosystem health and sustainability.

** Points to note: agriculture, human caused disturbances, nature preservation, urban vs rural land use, etc.