WHS BIO Ecology Virtual Lab

Ecology Lab

The Challenge

Try to get two plants to happily co–exist. In any given ecosystem, most organisms will carve out a niche for themselves where they can obtain all of the necessities to survive. Often, different species within the ecosystem will compete for the resources that a niche provides. However, certain species live well together—symbiotically, parasitically, or by staying out of each other's way. For example, lichen and moss, often the primary colonizers of a new ecosystem, tend to live fairly harmoniously in each other's vicinity. Let's see what happens in this model.

Scenario 1

Imagine the ecosystem is newly forming—the previous ecosystem has been destroyed by fire or flood—and the first colonizers of the successive ecosystem are, of course, producers.

Given the two fictitious species of plants in the simulator, predict what will happen in this young system and record your prediction in the Data Table. Then run the simulator to 100 time steps and record the population numbers for both plants.

Ecology Lesson 1 Step 1

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE ECOLOGY LESSON 1 STEP 1 TABLE FIRST

Which of the following is true based on the initial model?

• Plant A outcompetes Plant B

• Plant B outcompetes Plant A

• Plant A and B are Equal

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE LESSON 1 STEP 1 DATA TABLE FIRST

Why might one plant species be better able to survive than another plant species?

• One plant has better adaptations than the other plant

• One plant learned how to survive in the environment better than the other plant

• One plant can do photosynthesis and the other cannot

Ecology Lesson 1 Step 2

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 1 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which of the following best describes the outcome of the simulation?

• Only Plant B survives

• Only Plant A survives

• Plant A survives more than Plant B

• Plant B survives more than Plant A

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 1 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

Decomposers break down dead things and return nutrients to the soil. What do you think would happen if we added decomposers to the simulation?

• Plant A = increase

  Plant B = increase

• Plant A = increase

  Plant B = decrease

• Plant A = decrease

  Plant B = increase

• Plant A = decrease

  Plant B = decrease

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 1 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

How does the total population of plants (A and B) compare in this model to the model in Lesson 1 Step 1

• There are more total plants in Lesson 1 Step 1

• There are more total plants in this model

• The total number of plants is the same in both models

Scenario 2

Now that you have a sense for the interrelationships between the trophic levels, see how big you can make your food web and still have all of the species you add survive through the end of the simulation run. Keeping the ideas of succession and the competitive exclusion principle in mind, think of the many factors that may go into sustaining an ecosystem. Is there any way we can all get along and live side by side?

Ecology Lesson 2 Step 1

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 1 DATA TABLE FIRST

What would happen to this ecosystem if the plants disappeared?

• All populations would die

• Only top predators would die

• Only omnivores would die

• Only herbivores would die

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 1 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which species increased in number?

• Producers

• Herbivores

• Omnivores

• Top Predators

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 1 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which species would benefit from adding a decomposer to the model?

• All species would benefit

• Herbivores only

• Omnivores only

• Top Predators only

• Producers only

Ecology Lesson 2 Step 2

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which species consistently go extinct in this model?

• Herbivores

• Omnivores

• Top Predators

• Producers

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which of the following describes this ecosystem over time?

• Stable

• Increasing

• Decreasing

Multiple Choice

COMPLETE THE LESSON 2 STEP 2 DATA TABLE FIRST

Which organisms need to be adjusted to keep omnivores alive?

• Producers

• Herbivores

• Top Predators