Biomes+of+the+World

**Biome Webquest** You will be embarking on a webquest that will lead you to an understanding of the various ecosystems, not only in our region, but across the planet. You will be divided into groups of 3, with each person performing a specific task. One member will be the Planner, one will be the Writer, and one will be the Artist. We will discuss your individual duties in class.

**Project Outline** The following must be included in your biome project:
 * a chart of the average temperature of your biome, gathered for one year.
 * a chart of the average precipitation of your biome, gathered for one year.
 * a list of ten animals commonly found in the biome.
 * a list of ten plants commonly found in the biome.
 * a map of the continent on which your biome is found, with your biome highlighted.
 * an animal that you have classified from domain down to genus and species.
 * the animal's habitat and niche
 * five adaptations that allow your chosen organism to be successful in its environment.
 * an environmental stressor is introduced into your biome.
 * how well the selected organism is able to adapt to the environmental stressor.
 * a food chain using common plant and animal names and including your animal.
 * an explanation of your animal's feeding habits, including whether it is an herbivore, carnivore or omnivore.
 * a food web that includes your animal.
 * an energy pyramid
 * two organisms that illustrate mutualism. Explain the relationship.
 * two organisms that illustrate commensalism. Explain the relationship.
 * two organisms that illustrate parasitism. Explain the relationship.
 * two organisms that illustrate a predator-prey relationship. Explain the relationship.
 * a common example in the biome that illustrates interspecific competition. Explain the relationship.
 * ecological problems and solutions.
 * Research your biome as to its place on an ecological time line.
 * Determine what kinds of fossils have been found in this area.


 * Your group will produce a poster and a brochure based on the above information.**
 * [|This website] is a good place to begin your research.

**Activity One** All living things are classifed according to a system devised in the 18th century by Carolus Linnaeus. [|This tutorial] will explain how a classification system was developed. YOU NEED ONLY TO READ THE FIRST FIVE SLIDES.

**Choose one animal from your biome and create a classification table beginning with the domain and ending with the genus and species (scientific name). This should be the animal that you will use to identify adaptations and feeding relationshipsl.** This information will be included in your project. You may use the Paint program to produce the table and save it to your file.

**Activity Two** **Survival in any ecosystem depends upon the organism's ability to adapt to change, because the only thing that is certain is that the environment WILL change at some point. Those organisms that can develop favorable adaptations will the ones that will survive to reproduce. Remember that it is not enough for one animal to survive because the survival of one animal does not insure that the species will survive. Only if enough animals survive and are able to reproduce live young will the species continue.** What is an [|adaptation?]
 * Give an explanation of the term adaptation.
 * How do animals develop adaptations?
 * List five adaptations.
 * What is a mimicry adaptation?

Read the following information on [|animal adaptations.]
 * List the adaptations in this section and write a brief explanation of them.

You've read about physical or structural adaptations. What other kinds of [|adaptations] are possible?
 * What are behavioral adaptations?
 * What happens to cause an adaptation?
 * Click on and read about the animals in the **Nature Files** section.
 * Take the **What Do You Think?** quiz.

How do [|plant adaptations] differ from animal adaptations? **1. Now choose one plant or animal in your biome that you be****lieve to be perfectly adapted to its environment. Describe the adaptations (five) and explain how these adaptations insure the survival of the species.** **2. Introduce an environmental stressor to your ecosystem. This must be a stressor that can actually occur; for example, tornadoes, floods, deforestation, or drought.**
 * What is a plant adaptation?
 * What is a biome?
 * Click on each of the different biome links and read about how plants have adapted to these regions.
 * Click on the **Fir Tree** in the right-hand column and take the adaptations quiz.
 * 3. Describe how your organism will react to the stressor. Explain which adaptations will allow the organism to survive. If the organism cannot survive, explain why and suggest adaptations that would have enabled the organism to survive. **


 * Your teacher will give you an information sheet to help you complete this activity.

**Activity Three**

Before we construct a food chain like the one above, let's get our vocabulary and [|background information] taken care of.
 * 1. Define producer, autotroph, consumer, heterotroph and decomposer.**
 * 2. Define and give five examples from your biome of these heterotrophic types: herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and detritivores (saprobes).**
 * 3. Explain the role played by decomposers in your biome.** **List 5 from your biome.**
 * 4. Differentiate between scavengers and predators. Give five examples from your biome.**
 * 5. Recognize the routes by which the flow of energy and the recycling of matter through the ecosystem are called food chains.**
 * 6. Explain how autotrophs (producers) are the basis of energy flow in all food chains (and food webs) by capturing solar energy and making it available to consumers. **
 *  7. Create a food chain that would be found in your biome. You must show at least four [|trophic levels]. **

Activity Four
 *  A f[|ood web] is all the interconnected food chains in an ecosystem. **


 * Identify all the partners in this [|food web.] You will receive a handout for this activity.**


 * [|This website] allows you to make your own simple food web. It isn't as easy as it looks! **

You and your team members should begin working on a food web in your biome. You may use your food chain as one part of the food web. Criteria for your food web:
 * You must have 5-6 producers (autotrophs).
 * You must have 4-6 first level consumers (heterotrophs).
 * You must have 3-5 second level consumers.
 * You must have 2-3 third level consumers.
 * If your ecosystem allows, you may have one fourth level consumer.
 * Remember that some consumers feed on more than one level.
 * Keep in mind that the arrows follow the energy. In other words, the arrows go from the prey to the predator, because that is the direction that energy is consumed.
 * You may, but are not required to, include scavengers (detritivores).

**Activity Five**
 * Top Level **
 * Consumer **

One way of organizing the movement of energy in an ecosystem is to create an [|energy pyramid.] A pyramidal shape is used to indicate the relative amount of energy in each level; for example the producers produce 100% of the energy in the ecosystem. Therefore, this level is the base of the pyramid. Using the link above, answer the following questions:

 1. The transfer of energy in an ecosystem is explained by two laws. Describe how these two laws work.  2. Where do autotrophs fit into the energy pyramid?  3. Where do heterotrophs fit into the energy pyramid?  4. Why is so much energy lost between the autotrophs and the heterotrophs?  5. Explain how an energy pyramid and a food web are related.


 * Using paint or a similar program, create an energy pyramid that shows 4-5 producers, 3-4 first level consumers, 2-3 second level consumers and, depending on your biome, 1-2 tertiary (third level) consumers and one top level consumer. You may use the same pictures you used for your food web. It is not necessary for you to print the names of the organisms since space on each level is limited. **

<span class="wiki_link_ext">Activity Six
 * Feeding Relationships / Symbiosis **


 * <span class="wiki_link_ext"> Within every ecosystem, organisms must have a food source, a place to live, and ways to protect themselves from predators. This site provides information on [|symbiotic relationships.] Answer the following questions: **
 * What is symbiosis?
 * Explain what is meant by mutualism. Show two organisms in your biome that exhibit mutualism. Describe this relationship.
 * Explain what is meant by commensalism. Show two organisms in your biome that exhibit commensalism. Describe this relationship.
 * Explain what is meant by parasitism. Show two organisms in your biome that exhibit parasitism. Describe this relationship.


 * [|Predator-Prey relationships] are one of the keys to a healthy ecosystem. Answer the following questions:**
 * Describe two ways that predator-prey relationships help to maintain a healthy ecosystem.
 * Describe the **term predator-prey relationship.** Show two organisms in your ecosystem that exhibit this relationship.


 * It is unlikely that each animal in an ecosystem will have exclusive rights to a food source. What is far more likely is that several animals will seek out the same source or sources of food. Find out about [|interspecific competition] in your ecosystem.**
 * Explain the term interspecific competition. Show two or more organisms in your biome that compete for the same food source(s).
 * How does interspecific competition affect the size of populations in an ecosystem?
 * Explain how animals can evolve (change) to limit the effects of competition with other animals for a food source.

<span style="background-color: #c0c0c0; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">**Activity Seven** <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 96%; text-align: center;">And NUH is the letter I use to spell Nutches, Who live in small caves, known as Niches, for hutches. These Nutches have troubles, the biggest of which is The fact there are many more Nutches than Niches. Each Nutch in a Nich knows that some other Nutch Would like to move into his Nich very much. So each Nutch in a Nich has to watch that small Nich Or Nutches who haven't got Niches will snitch. **Dr. Seuss, On Beyond Zebra, 1955**

Every organism, including you, has a [|habitat] and a [|niche]. What is the difference between the two?


 * **What constitutes a [|habitat]?**
 * **What constitutes a [|niche]?**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Log on to [|this site] and find out information about habitats in your biome.**

Many ecosystems are represented on this [|National Geographic site]. Search the site for information on habitats in your particular biome.

More [|biome] habitat information!

Another [|National Geographic] site on habitats in various biomes and ecosystems.

A little information on [|niches.]



**Now your job is to completely and accurately describe the habitat and niche of your chosen organism.**
 * Note: The habitat is part of an organism's niche, but the niche is not part of its habitat. Chew on that for a minute.**

<span style="background-color: #c0c0c0; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-size: 140%; text-align: center;">**Activity Eight** **The last part of your quest is to discover the ecological problems in your particular biome and their solutions. If you find that the problems are not being addressed, you must research the problems and suggest ways that the problem might be addressed. This information must be included in your brochure.**

**Good luck with your project!** <span style="background-color: #c0c0c0; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-size: 140%; text-align: right;">** Project Parameters **


 * 1) All members of the group must participate equally in research, writing, arrangement, and narration.
 * 2) Each team must submit a list of what team members accomplished towards the project; all members must sign.
 * 3) All pictures used must be appropriate for a school setting.
 * 4) The brochure must include a description of the biome (biotic and abiotic factors), graphics, information about land formations, climate, points of interest, and any other information that makes your biome unique.

For your poster, check out this <span class="wiki_link_ext">[|rubric]. This rubric is for your <span class="wiki_link_ext">[|presentation]. If your group is using [|PowerPoint], check out this rubric.

SPI 0807.5.1 Use a simple classification key to identify an unknown organism. SPI 0807.5.2 Analyze structural, behavioral, and physiological adaptations to predict which populations are likely to survive in a particular environment SPI 0807.5.3 Analyze data on levels of variation within a population to make predictions about survival under particular environmental conditions. SPI 0807.5.4 Identify several reasons for the importance of maintaining the earth’s biodiversity. SPI 0807.5.5 Compare fossils found in sedimentary rock to determine their relative age.

<span style="font-family: 'Arial Black',Gadget,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Extra Credit Opportunity!!!**

Request a copy of the Dr. Seuss story and worksheet. You will read the story and analyze it from a scientist's viewpoint.



SPI 0807.Inq.4 Draw a conclusion that establishes a cause and effect relationship supported by evidence.

nbmn