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Ecology and Ecosystems

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Ecology and Ecosystems

Use the scenario and population table to investigate how living things interact with one another and with their environment. Answer in complete sentences where appropriate.

Read the field notes

A group of ecologists monitors a small freshwater wetland in Aotearoa New Zealand. Raupō and other plants grow in the shallow water. Insects feed on plants, and small fish eat insects. Eels eat small fish. The wetland is also home to frogs and water birds. Sunlight, water depth, temperature and dissolved oxygen are non-living parts of this ecosystem. The ecologists notice that after a dry summer, the water level falls and the wetland becomes warmer.

1.In the field notes, identify one biotic factor and one abiotic factor. Explain how you can tell them apart.
2.Which option best describes an ecosystem?
  • A list of all the animals in one place
  • Living things interacting with one another and with the non-living parts of their environment
  • Only the climate and rocks in a region
  • A single species living by itself
3.Build a food chain using four organisms from the field notes. Use arrows to show the direction that energy moves.

Population survey

The ecologists counted four populations at the wetland in two seasons. The counts are estimates from the same survey area.

Organism

Autumn count

Late-summer count

Change

Aquatic insects

120

70

—

Small fish

30

18

—

Eels

8

7

—

Frogs

16

10

—

4.Use the population survey: which population had the largest decrease in count? Calculate the decrease.
5.Suggest one possible link between the lower insect count and the lower small-fish count. Give one other explanation that the survey alone cannot rule out.
6.True or false: Because eel numbers changed by only one, the dry summer definitely had no effect on the wetland ecosystem.
TrueFalse
7.Complete the idea: A long period of low rainfall could affect wetland organisms because it may lower the water level and change .
8.A nearby farm wants to reduce soil and fertiliser washing into the wetland. Suggest two practical actions and explain how one could help the ecosystem.
9.A classmate says, “An ecosystem is just the organisms living in one place.” Improve this definition by adding what the classmate has left out.

2 printable pages

  • Ecology and Ecosystems, page 1 of 2: Read the field notes, Population survey

    Page 1

  • Ecology and Ecosystems, page 2 of 2: Aquatic insects 120 70 —

    Page 2

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