Understanding Ecosystem Dynamics

Lesson 4.1 of the Amplify Science series focuses on the South Pacific island ecosystem. It begins with a warm-up activity involving a parrot population scenario, exploring reasons for population changes through births and deaths. The lesson introduces food webs and evidence cards to understand organism interactions. Students learn about population sampling to determine trends and reliability. The lesson concludes by connecting these concepts to prepare for a science seminar.

What is the main focus of the South Pacific Island Ecosystem lesson series?

• Understanding climate change

• Exploring marine life

• Studying population dynamics and resources

• Learning about volcanic activity

In the warm-up activity, what is the primary concern regarding the parrot population?

• Increase in parrot births

• Stable parrot population

• Decrease in parrot deaths

• Decrease in parrot population

What are the two main factors that can cause a population to change?

• Predation and disease

• Food availability and habitat

• Births and deaths

• Migration and climate

What is the purpose of the evidence cards in the lesson?

• To provide historical data

• To identify new species

• To predict weather patterns

• To help construct the food web

How do scientists determine population trends in the lesson?

• By analyzing population samples

• By tracking weather changes

• By observing animal behavior

• By measuring plant growth

What is the significance of constructing a food web in this lesson?

• To identify endangered species

• To understand energy flow and organism interactions

• To study weather patterns

• To map out geographical locations

Why is it important to know the number of organisms in a food web?

• To identify new species

• To understand the balance of the ecosystem

• To predict future climate changes

• To measure the size of the habitat

What is the role of population samples in understanding ecosystems?

• They help in predicting weather patterns

• They provide data on species migration

• They offer insights into population trends

• They measure soil quality

What is the final step in the lesson before the seminar?

• Writing a research paper

• Reviewing climate data

• Connecting concepts to previous knowledge

• Conducting a field study

What is the ultimate goal of the lesson series?

• To prepare for a science seminar

• To write a scientific paper

• To conduct a field experiment

• To create a documentary