DATA TABLE: ECOLOGY

LESSON 1
Lesson 1:
Step 1
Prediction: starting population
Prediction: ending population
Starting population
Ending population
Lesson 1:
Step 2
Prediction: starting population

Prediction: ending population

Starting population
Ending population

Plant A

Plant B

Both plants populations will

start at equivalent numbers.
Both plants will reach equilibrium at the same time, unless one
is dominant. Then the dominant plants ending population will
optimize, while the other plant will die out.
6,000
3,500
10,000
0
Plant A

Plant B

Herbivore A

Will continue to
prosper, but its
ending population
will be lower than
that in step 1.
Lower than that in
part 1

Will have more of a

chance of surviving
for a longer period
of time.

Will grow with plant A

Higher than in part

1. Higher than plant
A.
3,700
4,998

Will grow as plant A

decreases.

5,256
3,335

1,312
2,055

Responses to questions

Whatassumptionsdoesthismodelmakeaboutcodominanceaswellasthegeneralterrain
oftheecosystem?Thatthemoredominantspecieswillprosperthemostdueto
competition.Theterrainsconditionsaresuitableforonlyoneplanttoprosper.
Doyoufindoneproducertobedominant?Whymightoneproducerbedominantover
another?PlantAwasdominantoverPlantsBandC.PlantAwasmostsuitedforthe
terrain.
Howdoproducerpopulationnumberswiththepresenceofanherbivorecomparetothe
primarycolonizermodel?Thepopulationwillbelesser

DATA TABLE: ECOLOGY

LESSON 2
Lesson 2:
Step 1
(X, , or )
Prediction
Simulation 1
Simulation 2

Lesson 2:
Step 2
(X, , or )
Prediction
Simulation 1
Simulation 2
Modifications
made

Plant A

Herbivore A

Omnivore A

Top Predator

Plant
A

Plant
B

Plant
C

Herbivore
A

Herbivore
B

Herbivore
C

Omnivore
A

Omnivore
B

Top
Predator

X
x
x

x
x
x
x

x
x
x

Responses to questions

1.

2.
3.

4.
5.
6.
7.

Wasyourpredictioncorrect?Howdidyouarriveatyourprediction?Whatdifferencesweretherebetween
yourpredictionandthesimulation?MypredictionwascorrectforplantA.IfPlantAistheonlyplant
speciesbeingeaten,thenitsnumberswoulddecreaseovertime.HerbivoreAspopulationincreased,
whileOmnivoreAattheTopPredatorsnumbersincreaseanddecreasedover200unitsoftime.
Whatwouldhappentothisimaginaryecosystemiftheproducersweretodieout?Theotherspecies
woulddieout.
Didanyofthespeciesincreaseinnumber?Whatcouldaccountforthisincrease?Whichspeciesdecreased
innumberandwhatmightaccountforthisdecrease?HerbivoreAincreasedduetoPlantAs
dominance,andtheTopPredatorincreased.OmnivoreAdecreasedbecausePlantAdecreased.
Whichpopulationswouldbenefitthemostfromthepresenceofdecomposers?Herbivores
Wasyourpredictioncorrect?Howdidyouarriveatyourprediction?Whatdifferencesweretherebetween
yourpredictionandthesimulation?No.
Wereyouabletomodifytheparameterssothateachspeciessurvived?Explainhowyoudecidedwhat
changestomake.No.
Whichwaydoesenergyflowandhowdoeseatinganorganismresultinenergytransfer?Energyflows
fromtheproducersuptowardsthetoppredator.