Ecosystems and Energy Flow Project

Objective: Demonstrate your knowledge about the flow of energy in two ecosystems through the construction of various food chains, food webs, and ecological pyramids. Describe how elements, such as nitrogen and carbon, are cycled through these ecosystems.

Project Task/Procedure Part I — Food Chains, Food Webs, and Energy Pyramids: 1. Select one ecosystem. 2. Create a list below of 20 or more organisms that inhabit each ecosystem. Your lists should include organisms from a variety of kingdoms.

3. Using the organisms from your list above, construct at least three food chains for your ecosystem in the space provided below. For each food chain, label the following: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, decomposers, detritivores, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and trophic level.

Food Chain #1:

Food Chain #2:

Food Chain #3:

4. Using your food chains above and other organisms from your list; construct one food web for your ecosystem in the space below. The food web must contain at least 12 organisms in it.

5. Using organisms from the food web for your ecosystem, describe examples of the following: a. A symbiotic relationship:

b. A predator-prey relationship:

c. Competition:

d. Limiting factors that may affect the survival of the organisms:

e. Density dependent and independent factors that may affect the survival of the organisms:

6. Answer the following analysis questions regarding the food webs for your ecosystem: a. If a great number of producers within the ecosystem died, how would this affect the numbers of the other organisms within the ecosystem?

b. If all but a few tertiary consumers within the ecosystem died, how would this affect the numbers of the other organisms within the ecosystem?

c. If many new plants and trees are introduced into the ecosystem, how will this affect the numbers of the other organisms within the ecosystem?

d. If half of the primary consumers have a disease and die, how will this affect the numbers of the other organisms within the ecosystem?

7. In the space below, construct an ecological pyramid for your ecosystem. Include at least nine organisms in your energy pyramid. Label each level of the pyramid with the correct trophic level. Label each level of the pyramid with the correct type of producer or consumer. Assume the lowest level of the pyramid has 100,000 units of energy. Label the units of energy that will be transferred up to the remaining levels of the pyramid.

Project Task/Procedure Part II – Matter Cycles Chemical elements, such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, are cycled between organisms and their environments. Autotrophs acquire these elements in their inorganic forms and combine them into organic forms, which may be consumed by heterotrophs. When organisms die, these elements are returned to their inorganic forms, and to the environment, by decomposers.

1. Using the food chain from Part I, construct a Matter Cycle (in words and drawing) for one element in your ecosystem in the space provided below.

Project Task/Procedure Part III — Putting it All Together 1. Using all of the information you have compiled so far in the project, select a partner, and create two posters comparing the flow of energy of two ecosystems. Each poster must contain:

-An appropriate title -At least one food chain for the ecosystem, with all appropriate labels -The food web for the ecosystem -The ecological pyramid for the ecosystem with all appropriate labels -The matter cycle (drawn), with appropriate labels for the ecosystem -Use a meter stick to make the writing and drawings on your poster straight and neat.