Module 4: Ecosystem Dynamics

● 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

● 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 analyse past and present technologies that have been used to determine evidence for past changes, for example:

– radiometric dating

– gas analysis

● analyse 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 sources 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

● 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