Ecological Cycles Webquest

Part I: Ecological Succession

Directions: Go to the following website to complete this activity. http://www.mrphome.net/mrp/succession.swf

1. Using the first tab labeled “Succession”, define succession.

Primary Succession Now choose the tab labeled “Primary Succession” Using the “Temperature and Rainfall” slider control, select “LOW” temperature and then watch the animation. 1. What creates the island at the very beginning (re-run the animation if necessary)?

2. What happens with TOP SOIL and NUTRIENTS as time passes? (look at the gauges)

3. IN ORDER OF SUCCESSION, describe the sequence of ecological changes that take place on island: A.

4.How much TIME does this PRIMARY SUCCESSION take when temperature and rainfall are LOW?

5.Fill in the blanks: After succession, ______account for most of the vegetation on the island, leaving some ______, ______, ______and other plant life near the shore.

updated 8/20/2011 1 Now set the “Temperature and Rainfall” slider to MEDIUM and then watch the animation. 6.How much TIME does this PRIMARY SUCCESSION take when temperature and rainfall are MEDIUM?

Now set the “Temperature and Rainfall” slider to HIGH and then watch the animation. 7. How much TIME does this PRIMARY SUCCESSION take when temperature and rainfall are HIGH?

Secondary Succession

Choose the tab labeled “Secondary Succession” Click the arrow to start the fire in the forest. This will trigger SECONDARY succession. 1. How are the TOP SOIL and NUTRIENTS changing during this secondary succession?

2. What explanation can you give for why there is a difference from primary succession?

3. IN ORDER OF SUCCESSION, describe the sequence of ecological changes that take place after the fire: A.

6. Contrast PRIMARY and SECONDARY succession in terms of the amount of TIME it takes and the development of TOP SOIL and NUTRIENTS in the ecosystem? Give reasons why they are different.

updated 8/20/2011 2 Part II & III: Carbon & Nitrogen cycles

Directions: Visit the following websites and answer the related questions. Your goal is to gain a better understanding of the carbon and nitrogen cycles.

Background: We have learned that energy flows through an ecosystem. Organisms use it, store it, and lose it. Only 10% is passed on to the next trophic level. Matter doesn’t flow, it cycles. In order to have an indefinite supply of the molecules necessary for life, matter must be recycled. In biogeochemical cycles (including carbon, water and nitrogen cycles), elements are transported between the atmosphere, biosphere (living area), hydrosphere (water), and geosphere (rocks, minerals, and soils). These cycles help us remember that Earth is a complex system and that we must take care of what we have.

Part II: The Carbon Cycle:

Go to http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html and answer these questions.

Welcome to The Carbon Cycle Game!!!!

1. You are the carbon atom. Once you were released from fossil fuels, where are you starting within the carbon cycle?

Click to begin your journey: 2. How much of the atmosphere is made up of carbon dioxide?

3. By how much has CO2 increased in the atmosphere during the last 150 years? What effect does this have on our planet?

updated 8/20/2011 3 As you work through this game, take some notes about where you go as a carbon atom. Make sure you visit all reservoirs! True or False: When plants die 4. First stop = and decay, they bring carbon What did you learn? into the soil.

How much carbon does the 5. Next stop = surface ocean absorb from the atmosphere each What did you learn? year?

The deep ocean accounts for 6. Next stop = more than % of the Earth’s What did you learn? carbon.

7. Next stop = True or False: Plants both

absorb CO2 from What did you learn? the atmosphere and release it into the atmosphere.

8. Next stop = When carbon enters the deep What did you learn? ocean, how long does it stay there?

True or False: 9. Next stop = Phytoplankton are tiny plants What did you learn? and algae that float in the ocean and take

up CO2 as they grow.

updated 8/20/2011 4 Part III: The Nitrogen Cycle:

Go to http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/N/NitrogenCycle.html#Nitr ogen_Fixation and answer these questions:

10. What 2 biomolecules use nitrogen?

11. What percentage of the air we breathe is nitrogen?

Go to http://www.classzone.com/books/ml_science_share/vis_sim/em05_pg20_nitrogen/ em05_pg20_nitrogen.html and click on “GO” to start

Nitrogen gas (N2) is a form of nitrogen that cannot be used by most organisms. Nitrogen gas must be broken apart before it can be usable. Nitrogen fixation is the term used to describe this process.

12. How can N2 be fixed in the atmosphere so that it forms NO-3?

13. What happens to NO-3 once it enters the soil?

14. N2 can also enter the soil, but it is still in a form that cannot be used. How do some plants, like beans, get their nitrogen?

15. Some plants don’t have a mutualistic relationship with nitrogen fixing bacteria in their roots. How are these plants able to get their nitrogen?

16. How do animals get their nitrogen?

17. How does nitrogen return to the soil?

18. How does the Nitrogen return to the air? What is this process called?

updated 8/20/2011 5 updated 8/20/2011 6