Virtual Ecology lab for the week of December 9, 2020 (CHC Fall 20)

Answers ecology questions after an online simulation about ecosystems and ecology. The document answers the following questions: Part 1 1. DATA TABLE: ECOLOGY LESSON 1 2. What assumptions does this model make about co-dominance as well as the general terrain of the ecosystem? 3. Do you find one producer to be dominant? Why might one producer be dominant over another? 4. Does adding the herbivore establish a more equal field? Is one producer still dominant over the other? Why might one producer be dominant over another? 5. If the simulation included decomposers, how would your current results change? 6.How do producer population numbers with the presence of an herbivore compare to the primary colonizer model? Part 2: DATA TABLE: ECOLOGY LESSON 2 1.Was your prediction correct? How did you arrive at your prediction? What differences were there between your prediction and the simulation? 2.What would happen to this imaginary ecosystem if the producers were to die out? 3.Did any of the species increase in number? What could account for this increase? Which species decreased in number and what might account for this decrease? 4.Which populations would benefit the most from the presence of decomposers? 5.Was your prediction correct? How did you arrive at your prediction? What differences were there between your prediction and the simulation? 6.Were you able to modify the parameters so that each species survived? Explain how you decided what changes to make. 7.Which way does energy flow and how does eating an organism result in energy transfer?