Ecosystem Interactions and Population Dynamics

In lesson 6 of the populations and resources series, students explore the dynamics of population changes, focusing on the moon jelly populations. The lesson covers the balance of births and deaths, the role of energy storage molecules, and how consumer and resource populations interact. Students are guided to plan and conduct investigations using a digital model, analyze results, and apply their understanding to real-world scenarios. The lesson concludes with evaluating evidence and making predictions about population changes, encouraging critical thinking and further exploration.

What is the key factor that determines whether a population grows or remains stable?

• The climate conditions

• The amount of food available

• The number of predators

• The ratio of births to deaths

In the context of the lesson, what is the primary focus when investigating the wee bug population?

• The migration patterns of wee bugs

• The birth rate of wee bugs

• The habitat of wee bugs

• The death rate of wee bugs

What is a manipulated variable in an investigation?

• A variable that is ignored

• A variable that is kept constant

• A variable that is measured

• A variable that is changed

What was the manipulated variable in the investigation of the wee bug population?

• The temperature of the environment

• The number of green leaves

• The amount of sunlight

• The number of furballs

How did decreasing the number of furballs affect the wee bug population?

• It increased the number of wee bug deaths

• It caused the wee bug population to migrate

• It decreased the number of wee bug deaths

• It had no effect on the wee bug population

What is the relationship between consumer and resource populations?

• Consumers provide energy to resources

• Resources provide energy to consumers

• Consumers and resources do not interact

• Resources consume consumers

What role do zooplankton play in the moon jelly ecosystem?

• They compete with moon jellies for food

• They have no interaction with moon jellies

• They are a resource population for moon jellies

• They are predators of moon jellies

What effect does a decrease in the sea turtle population have on moon jellies?

• It increases the moon jelly population

• It decreases the moon jelly population

• It causes moon jellies to migrate

• It has no effect on the moon jelly population

What was observed about the zooplankton population around the year 2000?

• It disappeared completely

• It increased

• It remained stable

• It decreased significantly

Why is it important to understand the interactions in a food web?

• To measure the size of ecosystems

• To identify new species

• To understand population dynamics

• To predict weather patterns