Lesson 1.01 Introduction to Ecology: Ecosystems and Biomes

Download, complete and submit 1.01 Abiotic and Biotic Factors.

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Ecosystem Experiment

Your challenge in this activity will be to plan and conduct an experiment to investigate what happens to a small ecosystem when you change one abiotic or biotic factor. Examples of a terrestrial and water ecosystems are shown below.

Materials:

• Two identical containers (jars, bottles, or other containers)
• Abiotic components
  • sticks
  • stones
  • sand
  • soil
  • water
  • other materials
• Biotic components (organisms)
  • plants
  • pond water organism
  • worms
  • snails
  • insects
  • small fish
  • other small organisms
  • Please don't use amphibians, reptiles, or mammals in your ecosystems for this experiment.
• other supplies or equipment to meet the needs of your plan.

Procedure:

1. Take time to design an ecosystem.
   • This might be as simple as a jar of pond water or as complex as a woodland terrarium.
   • Choose what interests you and what you have the resources to do.
   • (Hint: If you are struggling for ideas, search the Internet. You will likely find many great ideas for building simple, cheap ecosystems with what you have around you. Talk with your Biology teacher or parents for ideas.)
2. Create two identical ecosystems. Make everything as similar as you can.
3. Now choose one abiotic or biotic factor that you can easily change. Abiotic factors might include things like temperature, water, light, or the addition of a little fertilizer to one ecosystem. Biotic factors might include things like adding grass seed, extra snails, more fish or organic matter to one ecosystem.
   • Make the single abiotic or biotic change to only one of your ecosystems. Remember there is a control no changes are made ecosystem and the experimental a single variable or change is made ecosystem.
4. Record detailed observations daily for seven days. Identify any changes and differences you see in each of the ecosystems. You might need to use a magnifying glass or microscope to see some changes. You may need to request equipment from a teacher for measuring abiotic factors like pH, dissolved oxygen, dissolved carbon dioxide or humidity.

Download, complete and submit 1.01 Ecosystem Experiment.

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