1

This Packet belongs to ______________________________ in period _____

Biology Unit 12 – Inselberger (2012) ECOLOGY

ECOLOGY TARGETS Textbook Reference

# of test items

1 – Explain how biotic and abiotic factors interact within populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes, and the biosphere. 3.1 7

2 – Explain how energy flows through an ecosystem and the roles various organisms play, as producers, consumers, or decomposers, within both food webs and food chains.

3.2 3.3 19

3 - Understand how the 10% rule of energy transfer applies to organisms in a food chain and energy pyramids. 3.3 7

4 – Differentiate between various relationships (predator/prey, symbiotic relationships) within a community of organisms.

3.3 4.2 10

5 – Explain how various limiting factors control or determine population growth and the carrying capacity of humans as well as other organisms.

5.1, 5.2 3

6 - Determine the impacts that the growth of one population will have on others within the same habitat. 5.1, 5.2 8

7 - Determine the impacts that the rapid growth of the human population has had on populations of other organisms, the Earth, and its resources.

5.1, (p. 142-143) 0

8 - Explain the role that biodiversity plays in maintaining the health of ecosystems.

6.3 (p. 166-167) 0

Key Terms

populations biotic food chain omnivore parasitism logistic growth

ecology

communities abiotic trophic level predator habitat biodiversity food web

ecosystems producer primary

consumer prey niche autotroph carnivore

biomes consumer secondary consumer

symbiotic limiting factor heterotroph commensalism

biosphere decomposer herbivore mutualism carrying capacity

exponential growth

2

pyramid of energy

pyramid of numbers

pyramid of biomass

3

Name Class Date

3.1 What Is Ecology?

Studying Our Living Planet 1. What is ecology?

2. What does the biosphere contain?

3. How are human economics and ecology linked?

Use the diagram to answer Questions 4–5

4. Given the terms below, label each level of organization on the diagram by filling in the blanks. biome, community, population, individual, ecosystem, biosphere

4

Biotic and Abiotic Factors 5. Use the terms in the box to fill in the Venn diagram. List parts of the environment that consist of biotic

factors (4), abiotic factors (4), and one component that is a mixture of both biotic & abiotic factors.

1 Both

4 Biotic 4 Abiotic Factors Factors

Ecological Methods

7. Why might an ecologist set up an artificial environment in a laboratory?

8. Why are many ecological phenomena difficult to study?

9. Why do ecologists make models?

air heat precipitation animals mushrooms soil bacteria plants sunlight

5

Section 3.1 – What is Ecology Notes

•______________________: All life on Earth and all parts of the Earth in which life exists. •______________________: The scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their physical environment. •Levels of Ecological Organization:

DEFINITION LEVEL EXAMPLE

INDIVIDUAL

POPULATION

COMMUNITY

ECOSYSTEM

BIOME

6

•__________________ Factors: Any living part of the environment with which an organism might interact THREE EXAMPLES: a. b. c. •__________________ Factors: Any non-living part of the environment THREE EXAMPLES: a. b. c. •Ecological Methods of Study 1. ______________________ generate questions about individuals, populations, communities or ecosystem. First step towards designing experiments and setting up models. 2. ______________________ are used to test hypotheses, and learn more about a particular observation. Experiments can be performed in a laboratory or in the field. 3. ______________________ are useful to generate information about large-scale or long-term ecological phenomenon using data and observations gained from doing experiments.

7

Test your knowledge: Identify the level of organization represented by each picture. Provide a reason for your answer...

PICTURE LEVEL REASON

8

Section 3.2 – Energy, Producers, and Consumers

•All living things need and use _______________ to grow, reproduce, and perform cellular functions

such as active transport, m_____________, me____________, and creating new DNA or

_______________.

PRIMARY PRODUCERS • _______________________ is the ultimate source of energy for life on Earth.

•Organisms cannot produce their own energy. Energy is transferred from one ___________ to another.

•Organisms called _________________ use solar energy and inorganic molecules to create _________.

“Auto” = _________________ “ troph” = __________________

•Autotrophs are also called _________________ _____________________ because autotrophs are the

first producers of energy-rich food compounds that are used by other organisms.

•Autotrophs perform the process of _____________________. The process generates sugars (food) and

also _________________necessary for animals to survive.

•EXAMPLES: ____________________, _____________________, ______________________

CONSUMERS

•Must acquire _________________ and ________________from other organisms

•Also called _________________________

“hetero” = ____________________ “troph” = ________________

• Different types of consumers relate to how the organism obtains energy and elements: TYPE OF CONSUMER DEFINITION EXAMPLE

CARNIVORE Snakes, lions, hawks, and giant river otters

Eats plant leaves, stems, roots, flowers and/or seeds

SCAVENGER

Bears, humans, pigs, raccoons, & white-nosed coati

DECOMPOSER Change organic matter into inorganic

matter for use by 1 o producers; cycle elements in ecosystems

Feed on detrius (dead plants or animals) and on decomposers

9

Name Class Date

3.3 Energy Flow in Ecosystems

Food Chains and Food Webs 1. Complete the table about feeding relationships.

Feeding Relationships

Relationship Description

Food Chain

Food Web

Food Pyramid

Use the food chain to answer Questions 2–4.

2. a. Draw arrows between the organisms to show how energy moves through this food chain.

b. Label how each organism obtains energy by writing producer, herbivore, or carnivore under each organism

3. Explain how energy flows through this food chain.

4. What would happen to this food chain if a disturbance caused a serious decline in the shark population?

squid shark

herring

copepods (zooplankton) autotrophs

(phytoplankton)

10

Trophic Levels and Ecological Pyramids All of the statements below are FALSE. Change the underlined word to make the statement true and write the new word on the line.

5. Primary producers always occupy the first trophic level in a food web.

6. Food chains show the relative amount of energy or matter contained within each trophic level in a community.

7. On average, about 50 percent of the energy available within one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level.

8. The more trophic levels that exist between a producer and a consumer, the larger the percentage of the original energy from producers is available to that consumer.

Use the diagram to answer Questions 9–16.

Match the organism with its trophic level. A trophic level choice will be used more than once. Organism Trophic Level

9. algae A. primary producer

10. grasshopper B. first-level consumer

11. marsh grass C. second-level consumer

12. marsh hawk D. third-level consumer

13. plankton-eating fish

14. ribbed mussel

15. shrew

16. zooplankton

11

17. Complete the energy pyramid: a. Write the source of the energy for the food web in the circle on the left b. Write how much energy is available to first-, second-, and third-level consumers on the lines.

For Questions 18–20, complete each statement by writing the correct word or words.

18. A pyramid of _______________ illustrates the relative amount of living organic matter available at each trophic level in an ecosystem.

19. A pyramid of _______________ shows the relative numbers of individual organisms at the trophic levels in an ecosystem.

20. A pyramid of _______________ shows the relative amounts of energy available at the trophic levels of a food chain or food web

12

13

Section 3.3 – Energy Flow in Ecosystems •Energy flows through a community in _______ direction from primary producers to various consumers.

•Energy flow in a community can be represented in three different ways:

FOOD ____________, FOOD ____________, FOOD _______________________

FOOD CHAIN: The ___________________ representation of energy flow in a community

FOOD WEB: A complex _________________ of many interconnected feeding relationships •The arrows represent flow of _________________, NOT the act of eating.

14

FOOD PYRAMIDS: 10% RULE: 1. Pyramid of _E____________ 2. Pyramid of _N_____________ 3. Pyramid of _B_____________

Definition: Definition: Definition:

UNITS: UNITS:

15

The Lion King

1. The plants and animals that you will see in the video, The Lion King, live in an African savanna

(tropical grassland). These organisms compose the biotic (living) part of this ecosystem. Abiotic (nonliving) factors, such as sunlight, water, and rocks, are also an important part of every ecosystem. Generate a list of all the biotic and abiotic factors that you see in the video.

P, H, O, or C BIOTIC FACTORS ABIOTIC FACTORS

2. Write “P” next to the organisms that are primary producers (autotrophs).

3. One way animals can be classified is according to their diet. Carnivores (C) eat the flesh of other

animals, herbivores (H) eat plants, and omnivores (O) eat both meat and plants. Place a C, H, or O next to each animal (biotic factor) in your list depending upon what you think their diet is.

4. Food chains always begin with producers (plants). Herbivores are primary consumers that eat plants, omnivores eat both the herbivores and plants, and carnivores eat both the herbivores and omnivores. Using the biotic factors that you listed above, construct a simple food chain below.

5. While Mufassa was talking to Simba about, “The Circle of Life” he explained that when they die, their bodies will become the grass that the antelope will one day eat. What organisms are involved in the cycling of elements? Explain why cycling of elements is an important process in “The Circle of Life.”

16

3.1 – 3.3 Review NAME: _____________________________

MATCHING: Match the term on the right with the definition on the left. Each question requires only ONE letter to be correct. Answer choices will be used once, more than once, or not at all.

______ 1. Organisms that eat other organisms to obtain energy. ______ 2. Organisms such as fungi & bacteria. ______ 3. A human eating both a salad and a steak for dinner. ______ 4. Examples are oak trees, prairie grasses, and photosynthetic protists (single-celled organisms). ______ 5. Autotrophs that perform photosynthesis. ______ 6. A complex network of feeding interactions of a community. ______ 7. Omnivores, carnivores, and herbivores are examples. ______ 8. Organisms that only eat producers. ______ 9. Consumers that can occupy the first or second trophic level. ______ 10. Convert dead biomass into matter that producers can use. GRAPHIC ANALYSIS: Use the figure below to answer questions 11 – 20. Some answer choices may be used once, more than once, or not at all. Some questions MAY require more than one letter to be correct. 11. Draw arrows between each organism to correctly represent a food chain for the organisms pictured

above. ______________ 12. Carnivore ______________ 17. 1st trophic level ______________ 13. Herbivore ______________ 18. Smallest number of organisms ______________ 14. Producer ______________ 19. 3rd trophic level ______________ 15. Consumer ______________ 20. Obtains energy from the sun ______________ 16. Highest trophic level

A. Producer B. Consumer C. Decomposer D. Omnivore E. Herbivore F. Community G. Food web

A B C D

E

17

African Food Web http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/africa.htm I. Before you begin thoroughly define each term below. If you need help scroll over each of the groups listed in the table online.

1. Producer 2. Herbivore

3. Omnivore

4. Carnivore

5. Scavenger

6. Decomposer

II. An animal will appear in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Place the organism in the group that represents its role in the food web. Record your results in the table below by writing the name of the organism in the proper place. If you are correct the organism will click into place, if you are incorrect a hint will be give in the “Help” field @ the top of the page

III. When finished, click in the “help field” to see the completed food web.

18

1. Examine the arrow between the grasses and the baboon. a. Is the arrow pointing toward the grass or the baboon? _________________

b. What does the direction of the arrow indicate?

2. Sometimes the term “top-level carnivore” is used to describe the role some animals play in their food chain. Think about and provide a definition of top-level carnivore in your own words.

3. According to the food web, what organism is most likely a top-level carnivore in the African food

web? http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/australia.htm

1. Complete the Australian food web. 2. Label each organism below by name as you place the the chart online. 3. Click “View the completed Food Web” in the “Help” field. 4. Draw your own arrows between the organisms below to make your own simplified version of the

same food web

TRY: http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/marine.htm , http://www.gould.edu.au/foodwebs/antarctic.htm

19

3.1 - 3.3 Review NAME: ______________________________ Use the diagram below to answer questions #1 – 9. Write the answer to each question on the line next to the question number.

________________________ 1. What kind of diagram is this: a food ____. ________________________ 2. Name a producer from the diagram above. ________________________ 3. In what trophic level are mice? ________________________ 4. Name an example of a carnivore. ________________________ 5. What kind of consumer are bacteria and toadstools? ________________________ 6. Name a secondary consumer. ________________________ 7. What organism would you expect to have the smallest biomass? __________ and __________ 8. What two trophic levels does the mountain lion occupy? ________________________ 9. What kind of consumer are deer?

20

Use the diagram below of an Antarctic food pyramid to answer questions #10-19. Write the answer to each question on the line next to the question number.

______________________________ 10. What is the biomass of zooplankton? ______________________________ 11. What is the trophic level number of krill? ______________________________ 12. What organism exists in the highest number? ______________________________ 13. What is the biomass for a leopard seal that eats penguins? ______________________________ 14. What organism is the autotroph? ______________________________ 15. Which organism is at the first trophic level? ______________________________ 16. Which trophic level obtains the most biomass from eating phytoplankton? ______________________________ 17. What organism obtains energy from zooplankton? ______________________________ 18. What organism is an herbivore? ______________________________ 19. What organism is the top predator of the food chain?

3

b

a

Number of organisms 1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000

Bio

mas

s (kg

/m2 )

90,000

x

y

90

Trophic Level

phytoplankton

zooplankton

krill

emperor penguin

leopard seal

21

Section 4.2 – Niches and Community Interactions

•What is a habitat? •What is a niche? Physical aspects of niche: Biological aspects of niche: Can two different species occupy the same niche?

22

•Community Interactions: Types of Interactions Definition Example(s)

Intra-species

Competition

Inter-species

Predator-Prey

Herbivory

Mutualism

Parasitism

Symbiosis

Commensalism

Identify each interaction pictured below:

23

Sections 5.1 & 5.2 – Population Growth, Carrying Capacity, & Types of Limiting Factors

•Populations grow in one of two ways: EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

• ____ -shaped curve

• New generation is _________ the size of the last

• Growth occurs if organisms move to a new

_____________________

• Seems like there are no ____________ factors regulating the population size; unlimited resources are available

LOGISTIC GROWTH

• _____ -shaped curve

• ______ growth at first

• Short period of _________ growth

• Growth levels off at

______________ _________________

• Limiting factors _____________ population from exponential growth

CARRYING CAPACITY • Definition:

• NOT ________: can be altered by changes in biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem

• Determined by LIMITING FACTORS:

DENSITY DEPENDENT LIMITING FACTORS DENSITY INDEPENDENT LIMITING FACTORS Definition: Definition:

24

Concept Map: Ecosystems

Name: _________________________

Date: _____________ Period: ___

25

Systems Analysis When a situation arises that is so complex that predictions seem at best unreliable and at

worst impossible, scientists turn to a method of analysis called systems analysis. In systems

analysis, scientists try to understand enough about the interactions of complex situations so that

they can reliably predict the effect that certain changes will have on the complex system.

Weather provides an example of a complex system that is relatively easy to understand in

the short term. For example, dark black clouds usually lead to rain. The interactions that produce

weather are so complex, however, that it is nearly impossible to understand or predict weather

across large distances or times. Ecosystems, the collection of living and nonliving elements that

produce interdependent networks of living systems, also can be viewed as examples of complex

systems.

The first step in analyzing any complex phenomenon is to identify the components of the

system under the study. The components, or a collection of things, that make up an ecological

system include living (biotic), as well as nonliving (abiotic) things. For example, an ecologist

might describe a pond in terms of its biotic components: its microscopic organisms, plant life, and

fish. She also might describe the pond in terms of its abiotic components: the pH of the pond

water, the element and oxygen levels, and the depth of sunlight penetration. These components

also include elements outside of the pond. The pond system is not isolated from the world around

it. In this case, the pond water’s pH is influenced by the pH of rainwater and the pH of anything

that might wash into the pond. The pond’s nutrients are determined by the amount and type of

food that washes or falls into the pond, and the types of organisms that die and decay in the pond.

The penetration of sunlight is affected by the amount of shading the pond receives (for instance,

the pond may be surrounded by large trees) and the stillness of the water. All of these components

influence and define the complex pond system (pond ecosystem).

26

Once the components of a system are identified, most scientists try to make the system

more manageable by limiting the number of components that are included in the analysis. For

instance, our pond ecologist might organize her analysis to include only the effects of several

different nutrients on the number and size of perch in the pond. The scientist who sets such a

structure knows that outside factors, such as pH and sunlight, also influence the fish. However,

she might choose not to take those into consideration because they further complicate an already

complex study.

Limiting the number of components is necessary because it focuses the scientist’s thinking

on a particular area of interest. Developing and testing hypotheses is much easier when the focus

of the investigation is narrow. Unfortunately, using a limited structure somewhat reduces the

accuracy of the analysis. Most systems analysts try to organize their system in a way that is

simple enough to be manageable and complex enough to be accurate.

The last step before beginning any analysis of a complex system is that the scientist

understands as much as possible about the initial behavior of the system is not understood, then it

is difficult to interpret how the system will react when one of its components is altered. In the

pond example, if the ecologist does not already know that perch populations decline each fall

(because a particular nutrient that they require becomes scarce), then she might mistakenly

attribute the decline to a recent change in pH. In fact, the pH change might influence the perch

population, but this effect may be small compared with the annual fluctuations caused by varying

nutrient levels.

Once a limited analysis is complete, scientists may try to combine the results of several analyses.

This way, they can construct a more complex, and more accurate, understanding of the whole system.

From this brief description of systems analysis, you can see that it is important to know as much as

possible about the behavior of a system before attempting to analyze the effect that changes in particular

components might have on it. For this reason, ecologists collect large amounts of data in an attempt to

understand how one structured set of interactions affects another. Despite this effort, ecologists realize

that they never will have all of the information necessary to make an error-free prediction. To compensate

for this limitation, many ecologists choose to be conservative in their prediction. Scientists generally

assume that intervening in ecosystems will result in some unpredictable consequences.

Citation Bascober, R. (Ed.). (1997). BSCS Biology: A Human Approach (2nd ed.). (pp.659-660). Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

27

May 13, 2011

Dear Biology Students at Tri-Lakes High School,

The members of the Tri-Lakes Association are very concerned about a confusing problem we have in the Tri-Lakes region. In general, the fishing is good, but people are not catching as many bass as they did years ago. As a result, our reputation as the bass-fishing capital of the world is suffering, and the reservations at the local resorts are down by 25 percent. This has had disturbing financial consequences for our area. I know that the biology classes of Tri-Lakes High School have kept records on the water quality of the lakes for many years. The members of the association have noticed that the change in the number of fish being caught seems to have occurred along with, or as a result of, a number of other changes around the area. We hope that your scientific abilities will help us determine what is happening or at least provide us with some questions the Association needs to investigate. The members of the association have made the following observations: •Microorganisms such as Daphnia and Gammarus are less common in the lake. •The lake is greener for more of the year than it used to be. •The perch seem to be smaller and less colorful than in previous years. Perch also congregate in the hollows of discarded cinder blocks and hover in one place for a long time. In addition to those observations, I am sending some data packet (copy masters) with information gathered from local newspapers and lake study records for your convenience. The copy masters information and data contain information that association members pulled together in an attempt to understand what might be happening to our region. If some data look familiar, it is because we pulled them from your annual report to the association. We hope that this combination of local, national, and historical data will provide enough clues for you to identify our problem(s) so that we can begin working on solutions. Our next association meeting is June 13. We look forward to hearing any additional information you can share with us at that time. Because many of you and your families are involved in the fishing and resort industries, I am sure you understand the seriousness of this situation. I eagerly await your response.

Sincerely,

Tri-Lakes Association President

28

Summarize the information you learned from examining Tri-Lakes Copymaster Resources below: http://www2.d125.org/science/secure/bio/tri-lakes/TLcontents.html username: patriot password: shsscience

Tri-Lakes Advertisement

Tri-Lakes Tribune Article: 1996

Tri-Lakes Tribune Article: 2000

Zone Map of Average Temperatures

Graph of total # fish caught annually: 1982 – 2002

Average # of perch & bass caught annually: 1982 – 2002

Average Size of Perch & bass caught compare to legal limit: 1982 – 2002

Table of dissolved O2 & pH levels for Tri-Lakes: 1982 - 2002

Yellow Perch Info

Large Mouth Bass Info

Location (map) of Tri-Lakes Industries & Resorts

Algae & cyanobacteria

Daphnia

Gammarus

Pesticides

Acid Precipitation

29

Tri-Lakes Materials List: Highlight items that were used when performing the experiment. Add items to the list if you used additional equipment not listed below. Indicate amounts used for each item (example: 50mL tap water)

safety goggles glass stirring rods plastic transfer pipettes 10mL graduated cylinder glass specimen dish or petri dish “Used organism” beaker digital thermometer vinegar (acetic acid) glass bowl tweezers hand lens microscope stereoscope Daphnia Gammarus warm water tap water 0-14 range pH paper with key

List of Copy Master Information sheets (available outside of class online) at: http://www2.d125.org/science/secure/bio/tri-lakes/TLcontents.html

Tri-Lakes Advertisement Yellow Perch Tri-Lakes Tribune article: 1996 Largemouth Bass Tri-Lakes Tribune article: 2000 Location of Tri-Lakes Industries & Resorts Zone map of the average temperatures in Tri-Lakes Algae and cyanobacteria Graph of total # of fish caught annually: 1982-2002 Daphnia Average size of perch & bass caught, with Gammarus comparison to legal limit size: 1982-2002 Pesticides Table of Dissolved oxygen & pH for Tri-Lakes: Acid Precipitation 1982-2002 Other helpful info:

30

Sample pH Lab Procedure:

Sample Temperature Lab Procedure:

31

Biology Name(s) ___________________________ Tri-Lakes ___________________________ What’s Wrong With Tri-Lakes? I. Read and annotate the “Systems Analysis” Essay on packet page 25-26. After reading, write key ideas in the space below. II. Read the letter from the Tri-Lakes Association President on packet page 27. After reading the letter, list 10 biotic or abiotic components in the Tri-Lakes ecological system below. After creating a list, think about how each component most likely affects the bass population (either positively or negatively) & provide a brief reason.

Factor Biotic or Abiotic Potential effect on bass population (+ or -) and explanation / reasons for effect?

1.

+ -

2.

+ -

3.

+ -

4.

+ -

5.

+ -

6.

+ -

7.

+ -

8.

+ -

9.

+ -

10.

+ -

32

III. Tri-Lakes Association Letter – Part 2 (packet page 27) Something is wrong in Tri-Lakes, U.S.A! This popular recreation spot has been cursed with bad smells, bad fishing, and overall bad luck. What happened to this pristine vacation getaway? Can the problem be easily fixed? You and your partner have been assigned to the case to find out. As biology students at Tri-Lakes High School, it is your job to sift through the evidence and to formulate a hypothesis as to why the problems are occurring. You will then perform an experiment to test this hypothesis and propose solutions for the citizens to follow so that the lakes can return to their former, healthy state. Good luck. The citizens of Tri-Lakes are counting on you. After reading the letter from Chris Tackle, what are some questions you have about the situation in Tri-Lakes? Write 4 questions in the space below: 1) 2) 3) 4) IV. THE EVIDENCE (packet page 29) Use the space below (AND ON PAGE 28) to take notes from the packet of evidence presented to you (there are 16 copy masters of evidence). Carefully analyze the maps, data tables, and articles. Look for common threads and themes that repeat themselves throughout the various forms of evidence. You can refer to the information later: http://www2.d125.org/science/secure/bio/tri-lakes/TLcontents.html Use the following info to access the site: username: patriot; password: shsscience

33

V. TESTABLE QUESTION Complete the checklist below for your best testable question:

o Uses words like whether, when, where, what, how many, how much, and how often. o Includes the independent variable that you will change in your experiment o Describes the organism, duration, and other aspects of the experiment o Includes the dependent variable you will measure during your experiment o Can be tested using available resources and procedures. READ all resources listed below.

• A list of possible materials used for the lab appears on packet p. 29 • Helpful background info on packet p. 29 • Sample pH Lab Procedure on packet p. 30 • Sample Temperature Lab Procedure on packet p. 30 After sifting through the evidence, formulate four testable questions and write them in the space below. Remember, a good testable question will ask about something that you will be able to actually test in class. Think about what type of resources might be available to you in the average high school science lab. As a hint, we cannot perform experiments using fish, but smaller organisms (i.e. Daphnia or Gammarus) would be available. (See packet page 29-30 for ideas) 1) 2) 3) 4) Circle your best testable question written above. Write a hypothesis related to your testable question in the space below. Remember to include both the independent and dependent variables in your “If.. then...” statement: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________

34

VI. EXPERIMENTAL PROTOCOL (see packet page 30) In the space below, draw the experiment related to your testable question. Include specific quantities of items, distinguish between the control group and the experimental group, state the number of trials you will perform, and list constants for both the control and experimental group. State the name of the organism you will use in your experiment, the dependent variable, and the independent variable of your experiment. CONTROL GROUP EXPERIMENTAL GROUP

Control group: Experimental group: (‘normal’ conditions) (has experimental variable) Dependent variable: Experimental variable (what you’re measuring: DATA) (what you’re changing) Constants (identify at least 5) and explain HOW you will keep them constant:

•

•

•

•

•

Number of trials for both the control group and experimental group: ____

35

VII. DATA TABLE: Use the space below to construct a data table for recording your data during class tomorrow. Be sure to follow all rules for making a data table including: title, label every column with variable & units, use a ruler, trials, etc.

VIII. GRAPH: On a piece of graph paper, construct a graph of your AVERAGE data for both the control group and experimental group. Be sure to follow all rules for making a graph including: title, label x & y axes with variable & units, use a ruler, etc.

36

TRI-LAKES LAB REPORT 50 points

• One report is required per group of two students • Please equally divide the work required to complete the lab report between group members. • If a group member is NOT doing their ‘fair share,’ contact your teacher immediately and before

the lab report due date!

Title (+3) Title of Experiment: The effect of ____________ on ________________ Names of Students

Purpose (+3) In 2-3 sentences, recap the situation at Tri-Lakes. Explain what you are trying to accomplish.

Include your testable question.

Hypothesis (+2) In one sentence and using an “If...then...” format, write your hypothesis. Include the independent and

dependent variables in hypothesis. Be sure your hypothesis is quantitative!

Materials (+4) In this section, list & describe all the supplies & quantities used to perform your experiment. BE

VERY SPECIFIC! You are allowed to make a bulleted list of supplies rather than write items in a long sentence.

Experimental Procedure (+3) Provide a numbered, detailed, step-by-step list of instructions describing exactly what you did in your

experiment. -OR- Provide a drawing of your experimental design. In the drawing, you must label/identify the following:

independent variable, constants, dependent variable, control group, experimental group, number of trials, number of organisms used per trial.

Data (+10) In this section, create a data table and a graph. Include all trials (you should have several). DO NOT GRAPH TRIALS: only graph averages for the control & experimental groups.

Analysis (+10): Each item should be addressed using complete thoughts & sentences!! A. 1. Discuss what you learned from your data. (+2) 2. Restate your hypothesis. (+1) 3. State whether your results support or do not support your hypothesis and explain how you know

your results do (or do not) support your hypothesis. Create an explanation by using quantitative data from your results to support your answer. (+3)

B. Discuss any sources of error. Explain how error could be eliminated. (+3) C. What future experiences would you like to do to further support your ideas? (+1)

Conclusion (+15) : Each item should be addressed using complete thoughts & sentences with each letter section addressed in a separate paragraph!

A. Summarize the situation at Tri-Lakes in your own words. (+4) B. Create a food web describing the community interactions within the Tri-Lakes region. The web

should include at least 8 organisms! (+4) C. Discuss how changes (be sure to identify which changes) in the Tri-Lakes region have impacted

the ecosystem & specifically the food web. (+8) (This should be the longest section of report!)