Mono Lake: an Alkaline Mono Lake: an Alkaline Lake EcosystemLake Ecosystem

77thth Grade Ecosystem Unit Grade Ecosystem Unit

March, 2009March, 2009

Pictures of EcosystemsPictures of Ecosystems

1)1) Identify your Ecosystem: what is its Identify your Ecosystem: what is its name?name?

2)2) Why is this an Ecosystem?Why is this an Ecosystem?

3)3) Discuss and write a response to the Discuss and write a response to the overarching question: “How are all parts overarching question: “How are all parts of an ecosystem interrelated?”of an ecosystem interrelated?”

Where is Mono Lake?Where is Mono Lake?

See CD-ROM for mapsSee CD-ROM for maps Best way to learn about ecosystem is to Best way to learn about ecosystem is to

visit it, but a field trip to California is not visit it, but a field trip to California is not feasible, so we’re going to watch a 20 feasible, so we’re going to watch a 20 minute video instead…minute video instead…

Take notes during videoTake notes during video Fill our worksheet “Thinking about Mono Fill our worksheet “Thinking about Mono

Lake” after videoLake” after video

March 13: Quickwrite in Pairs: March 13: Quickwrite in Pairs:

Give 4 examples of interactions between Give 4 examples of interactions between abiotic and biotic components in an abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem?ecosystem?

1)1)

2)2)

3)3)

4)4)

Ecosystem DefinedEcosystem Defined

An Ecosystem includes all of the An Ecosystem includes all of the organisms in a defined space, the physical organisms in a defined space, the physical environment the organisms live in, and the environment the organisms live in, and the interactionsinteractions that go on among the that go on among the organisms and that environment.organisms and that environment.

Feeding RelationshipFeeding Relationship

One way organisms in Mono Lake One way organisms in Mono Lake ecosystem interact with each other is by ecosystem interact with each other is by EATING each other. This is called a EATING each other. This is called a feeding relationship.feeding relationship.

Mono Lake Organism CardsMono Lake Organism Cards

Group workGroup work Mission: Organize the cards, picture side Mission: Organize the cards, picture side

up. Show all feeding relationships with up. Show all feeding relationships with arrows. Every organism should be used at arrows. Every organism should be used at least once.least once.

Remember Arrow DirectionRemember Arrow Direction

March 19: QuickwriteMarch 19: Quickwrite

Draw and explain one feeding Draw and explain one feeding relationship in the Monolake relationship in the Monolake

EcosystemEcosystem

Video Permission Slips?

For next week, after PSSA’s

Food ChainFood Chain

Food Chain: The path that food takes Food Chain: The path that food takes from one organism to another organism.from one organism to another organism.

In an ecosystem, many organisms survive In an ecosystem, many organisms survive by eating other organisms. The benefits of by eating other organisms. The benefits of the food eaten by one organism can then the food eaten by one organism can then move to another organism and another, as move to another organism and another, as each one is eaten.each one is eaten.

Show example on chalkboard.Show example on chalkboard.

Food WebFood Web

Food web: A diagram that shows all the Food web: A diagram that shows all the feeding relationships.feeding relationships.

Many of the organisms in your feeding Many of the organisms in your feeding relationship projects are connected with relationship projects are connected with more than one arrow. When you connect more than one arrow. When you connect all the organisms with arrows, the arrows all the organisms with arrows, the arrows cross each other in a complex way.cross each other in a complex way.

ProducersProducers

Which organisms in the food web do not Which organisms in the food web do not eat any other organisms?eat any other organisms?

How can they survive without eating?

Organisms that make their own food are producers. Producers produce the food that is used in an ecosystem.

In Mono Lake, _____ are the producers.

ConsumersConsumers

Producers make their own food, but animals, Producers make their own food, but animals, like brine shrimp and gulls, don’t make like brine shrimp and gulls, don’t make their own food. How do animals get their their own food. How do animals get their food?food?

Organisms that eat other organisms are called Consumers. Consumers get their food from the bodies of other organisms.

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary… Primary, Secondary, Tertiary… ConsumersConsumers

Primary (first level) consumers: Animals Primary (first level) consumers: Animals that eat Producers.that eat Producers.

Secondary (second level) consumers: Secondary (second level) consumers: Animals that eat primary consumers.Animals that eat primary consumers.

Tertiary (third level) consumers: animals Tertiary (third level) consumers: animals that eat secondary consumers.that eat secondary consumers.

Fourth level consumers: animals that eat Fourth level consumers: animals that eat tertiary consumers, etc. etc.tertiary consumers, etc. etc.

DecomposersDecomposers

Some organisms are never eaten by Some organisms are never eaten by consumers, but instead die natural deaths. consumers, but instead die natural deaths. Dead organisms are broken down and Dead organisms are broken down and consumed by microorganisms called consumed by microorganisms called Decomposers.Decomposers.

Organisms like fungi and bacteria are Organisms like fungi and bacteria are decomposers.decomposers.

Everything that is not eaten by a consumer Everything that is not eaten by a consumer is eventually eaten by decomposers.is eventually eaten by decomposers.

Trophic LevelsTrophic Levels

We call these different levels “trophic We call these different levels “trophic levels”levels” ProducersProducers ConsumersConsumers DecomposersDecomposers

Back to our Mono Lake Back to our Mono Lake Food Webs…Food Webs…

1)1) Reorganize your Mono Lake organism Reorganize your Mono Lake organism cards to show the levels of organisms in cards to show the levels of organisms in the ecosystem. the ecosystem.

2)2) Put Producers at the bottom, Primary Put Producers at the bottom, Primary Consumers at the next level, etc.Consumers at the next level, etc.

3)3) How can you show Decomposers How can you show Decomposers interacting with every level?interacting with every level?

March 20

What happens to food chains and What happens to food chains and food webs when different food webs when different environmental changes and environmental changes and changes in ecosystems caused changes in ecosystems caused by man occur?by man occur?

What happens?What happens?

In groups, discuss and answer In groups, discuss and answer the following 4 questions. the following 4 questions. Post Post your answers on the chart paperyour answers on the chart paper. . Try to come up with at least 2 Try to come up with at least 2 answers to each question. answers to each question.

Be ready to discuss.Be ready to discuss.

What would happen to our Food What would happen to our Food Web…Web…

1)1) If a chemical poisoned and killed all the algae If a chemical poisoned and killed all the algae in the Mono Lake Ecosystem?in the Mono Lake Ecosystem?

2)2) If there were heavy rains which caused the If there were heavy rains which caused the lake to decrease in salt concentration (salinity), lake to decrease in salt concentration (salinity), consequently poisoning the brine shrimp?consequently poisoning the brine shrimp?

3)3) If several of the species of birds were killed by If several of the species of birds were killed by a new predator?a new predator?

4)4) If the coyotes became a problem and were If the coyotes became a problem and were hunted to extinction?hunted to extinction?

PESTSPESTS

What are pests?What are pests? How do pests impact our food chains and How do pests impact our food chains and

food webs?food webs? What is pest management?What is pest management? How do we manage the pests known as How do we manage the pests known as

Tenebrio molitorTenebrio molitor (our mealworm and (our mealworm and beetle p e t s)beetle p e t s)

Make a table in science journals

Animal Is a pest when…

Is not a pest when…

Mealworms In your food storage

Kept as pets in science classroom

dog Tears up house Well trained

March 24:What is ‘Accountable Talk’?

What is Accountable Talk?Why do you think it is called

“Accountable”?What does it look like/ sound

like?

Accountable Talk Game Rules

Each group member gets a colored marble or bead. The group gets one bucket.

Have a conversation on the given topic. It is a discussion, using Accountable Talk.

Place your marble/bead into the bucket each time you make a contribution to the discussion, including responses to others as well as new points.

What is a Pest?What is a Pest?

PestsPests, as defined by National Park , as defined by National Park Service policy, are Service policy, are living organisms living organisms that interfere with the purpose or that interfere with the purpose or management objective of a specific management objective of a specific sitesite within a park, or that jeopardize within a park, or that jeopardize human health or safety. human health or safety.

What is Integrated Pest What is Integrated Pest Management or IPM?Management or IPM?

IPM is a science-based, decision making IPM is a science-based, decision making process that coordinates knowledge of process that coordinates knowledge of pest biology, the environment and pest biology, the environment and available technology to prevent available technology to prevent unacceptable levels of pest damage, by unacceptable levels of pest damage, by cost-effective means, while posing the cost-effective means, while posing the least possible risk to people, resources least possible risk to people, resources and the environment.and the environment.

Overarching Question Re-visitedOverarching Question Re-visited

1.1. How are all parts of an ecosystem How are all parts of an ecosystem interrelated?interrelated?

2.2. Go back to how you answered this last Go back to how you answered this last week. What new concepts or things week. What new concepts or things have you learned since then about have you learned since then about ecosystem interactionsecosystem interactions??

Next Steps?Next Steps?

Assessment after PSSA Assessment after PSSA Pg. 21 “Response Sheet: Mono Lake”Pg. 21 “Response Sheet: Mono Lake” Mid-Summative Exam 3-4 (Food webs)Mid-Summative Exam 3-4 (Food webs)

Apply what we know about food webs to Apply what we know about food webs to the question of the question of EnergyEnergy in an Ecosystem. in an Ecosystem. Think about how we get our energy.Think about how we get our energy.