Ecology Webquest - Pearland ISD



Pre-AP Ecology Webquest

Name: _________________________________ Period: ________

You will go to the following websites and answer the questions that go along with that website.

Part I: Ecosystems

 



In the following chart provide an example and description of each word.

|Word |Example |Description |

|Producer | | |

|Consumer | | |

|Carnivore | | |

|Herbivore | | |

|Secondary Consumer | | |

|Tertiary Consumer | | |

|Decomposers | | |

II. FOOD WEBS



Choose one of the three food webs. Put the food web together!

Draw one food chain from your food web (remember to use arrows between animals showing the flow of energy from one level to the next).

 

Using the information in the table, answer the following questions about your food chain:

1. Name a consumer in your food web _______________________________

       

2. Name a producer in your food web ________________________________

 

3. Name a decomposer in your food web ______________________________

 

III. NUTRIENT CYCLING

Carbon Cycle: Read about the carbon cycle and fill in the blanks below.



Name 2 places on the earth we find carbon:

 

        1.    __________________________     2.  ___________________________

Plants pull carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere to make food, through a process called:

_________________ ___

 

Through food chains animals get ______ ______ from the plants and other animals they eat.

 

When plants and animals die and _____ ____________, carbon goes back into the ground.

Some carbon is buried deep in the ground and forms _____________ ___________.

When humans burn fossil fuels, ________ ________ is released back into the atmosphere.

 

When humans and animals exhale, they release carbon back into the air by a process called:

______________ ________________

     

Nitrogen Cycle: Read about the nitrogen cycle and fill in the blanks below.



What are 2 ways nitrogen becomes useable to plants, humans and animals:

 

        1.    __________________________     2.  ___________________________

How do herbivores obtain the nitrogen they need?

______________________________ ___________________________

How is nitrogen returned to the atmosphere?

_ ________________________________________________________

What are two ways humans impact the nitrogen cycle:

         

1._______________________________________________________ _

2.______________________________________________________ __

 

 

IV. POPULATION



       

Define: Population ________________________________________________ __________

_________________________________________________________ _

 

Name two things that increase a population

1._______________________________________________________ _

2.______________________________________________________ __

 

Name two things that decrease a population:

1._______________________________________________________ _

2.______________________________________________________ __

V. BIODIVERSITY



What is biodiversity? ________________________________________________ __________

_________________________________________________________ _

What is a species?________________________________________________ __________

_________________________________________________________ _

Give an example of one species:

What is Genetic biodiversity? ________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ _

What is Ecological biodiversity? ________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________ _

How many different species are there estimated to be on Earth?

Give two examples of Biodiversity’s Importance:

Primary Succession follows the formation of new land surfaces consisting of rock, lava, volcanic ash, sand, clay, or some other exclusively mineral substrate.

This means that there is NO SOIL present. (Soil is a mixture of mineral material, decaying organic material, and living organisms. The area is barren in primary succession.)

Secondary Succession follows the destruction or partial destruction of the vegetation area by some sort of disturbance, like a fire, windstorm, or flood that leaves the soil intact.

Pioneer species initiate recovery following disturbance in both primary AND secondary successions. Pioneers "pave the way" for later colonists (plant species) by altering the biotic and abiotic environment

Climax community describes an end product of succession that persists until disturbed by environmental change.

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Visit the link below. Read the passage and answer the following questions.



Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas. What are two examples of factors resulting in primary succession?

1._______________________________________________________ _

2.______________________________________________________ __

Give two examples of pioneer species, the first plant species to arrive during primary succession:

1._______________________________________________________ _

2.______________________________________________________ __

How long does Primary Succession take to go from a barren landscape to a climax community? Hint: look at the graphic.

Click on the words “Secondary Succession” in the passage to answer the following questions:

What are the first organisms to arrive during secondary succession?

How does the amount of time to reach a climax community compare between primary and secondary succession?

Secondary Succession follows major disturbances such as:

a. b.

Visit the link below and answer the following questions.



Is the story of bog succession and example of secondary or primary succession? Why?

What are some characteristics of a “bog” area?

Describe how water is diverted and how that contributes to the death of trees and many plants.

How is the bog in the animation eventually changed into a bog forest?

Visit the link below, click on “Succession Interactive” and answer the following questions.



-click on “Succession Interactive”

-click on “Start a New Game”

-click on “Primary Succession”

What is the disturbance illustrated in this primary succession example?

Does primary succession occur with or without soil?

What are the first organisms to colonize in primary succession known as?

What is a lichen?

How do lichens arrive in a barren landscape, and how do they grow on rock?

How do many seeds arrive in a barren landscape?

What is a climax community?

Back at the main menu, click on “Secondary Succession.”

What is the disturbance illustrated in this secondary succession example?

Does secondary succession occur with or without soil?

What are your pioneer species for secondary succession?

Is secondary succession faster or slower than primary succession? Why?

Back at the main menu, click on “Take the Quiz.” Once completed, return to the main menu and click on “Score Sheet/Save Game.” Submit your quiz to my email for 5 points extra credit: chapmank@

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