1

Regents Biology: 2019

Unit 8 – Ecology Unit Packet Mr. Beaney

Name____________________________________________________________

2

Ecosystems and the Living Environment

Unit Outline

In this unit we will explore the fascinating interactions between living and non-living things that make up

ecosystems. We will also study the positive + negative impacts of human activities on these environmental

systems. Use the chart to track your progress.

Assignment Points Due Date Done

#1a: Ecosystem Notes 2

#1b: Ecosystem Questions 2

#2: Nutrient cycles 2

#3: Food Chain Internet Activity 2

#4: Symbiotic Relationships 2

#5: Succession Notes 2

#6: Endangered Species 2

#7: Pollution 2

#8: Acid Rain 2

#9: Invasive Species 2

#10: Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Resources 2

#11: Transportation and Energy 2

#12: Regents Exam Scientific Method Questions 2

POINTS Earned/Possible: ________/ 24

Other Grading Information:

Labs

* Kaibab Deer Case Study

* Food Webs

NYS REQUIRED LAB: Biodiversity

Quizzes

There will be 1 quiz on Ecosystems on:

_____________________

Tests

Our Unit Test on Ecosystems and the Living Environment will be on:

_____________________

3

Ecology and the Living Environment Word Bank

Word Definition

AUTOTROPH

HETEROTROPH

PRODUCER

CONSUMER

DECOMPOSER

SCAVENGER

BIOTIC

ABIOTIC

CARRYING CAPACITY

BIODIVERSITY

SUCCESSION

ALGAE

4

Assignment # 1a: Ecosystem Notes & questions

Brainpop.com (See Mr. Beaney for log in info & watch the “Ecosystems”)

1 - How are populations different from communities? 2 - What is the difference between a community and an ecosystem? 3 - List a number of different types of ecosystems. 4 - What are some nonliving things found in an ecosystem?

5

1. List two ABIOTIC factors found in the diagram above: ________________________________ and _________________________________ 2. List two BIOTIC factors: ________________________________ and _________________________________ 3. List one AUTOTROPH: _________________________________ 4. List one HETEROTROPH: ____________________________________ 5. List one CARNIVORE: __________________________________ 6. List one PRODUCER: __________________________________ 7. In the space below, sketch a food chain showing 3 species from the picture above:

6

Assignment # 1b: Ecosystem Questions: 1. One advantage of BIODIVERSITY in an ecosystem is that it (1) guarantees that the largest organisms will dominate the area (2) ensures a large amount of identical genetic material (3) develops relationships between organisms that are always positive over long periods of time (4) increases the chance that some organisms will survive a major change in the environment 2. ABIOTIC factors that affect the growth of grass in a lawn include (1) bacteria and soil (3) earthworms and nutrients (2) moisture and minerals (4) fertilizer and decomposers 3. Which component of a stable ecosystem can not be recycled? (1) oxygen (2) energy (3) water (4) nitrogen 4. One BIOTIC factor that affects consumers in an ocean ecosystem is (1) number of autotrophs (3) temperature variation (2) salt content (4) pH of water 5. Which statement best describes the flow of energy and the movement of chemical compounds in an ecosystem? (1) Energy flows into living organisms and remains there, while chemical compounds are transferred from organism to organism. (2) Chemical compounds flow in one direction in a food chain and energy is produced. (3) Energy is transferred from organism to organism in a food chain and chemical compounds are recycled. (4) Energy flows out of living organisms and is lost, while chemical compounds remain permanently inside organisms. 6. Which factor would have the greatest effect on the flow of energy into an ecosystem? (1) a large decrease in the amount of sunlight available (2) a large increase in the number of carnivores (3) a small increase in the number of decomposers (4) a small decrease in the amount of minerals available

7. If an ecosystem is changed through a natural disaster, organisms will have the best chance of survival if (1) their environment has few abiotic factors (3) the organisms are large (2) the population size is small (4) their species exhibits genetic variation

check your answers https://www.rhnet.org/Page/2146

7

Assignment #2: Nutrient Cycles

How are nutrients recycled through ecosystems? Why? We have learned the importance of recycling our trash. It allows us to use something again for another purpose and prevents the loss of natural resources. But what happens to the waste in nature? Why aren’t we up to our necks in natural waste? Why is there always a supply of water? Watch the videos that can be found on Brain pop (https://www.brainpop.com/) or Khan Academy (https://www.khanacademy.org/coach/dashboard) and search for these cycles and check out the videos Model 1 – The Water Cycle

1. Model 1 illustrates how nature recycles what natural resource?

8

2. Model 1 illustrates four major areas of water storage on Earth. Complete the list of these storage areas below. Atmosphere, surface water, ____________________, and ____________________. 3. Where is groundwater stored?

4. Name two processes in Model 1 in which water is converted to vapor.

5. Describe two methods by which water on land (in lakes and rivers) returns to the oceans.

6. Rain, sleet, and snow are examples of what? 7. If the air contains high levels of pollutants, what effect might this have on water quality?

8. Which process(es) of the water cycle—precipitation, evaporation, condensation, runoff, percolation or transpiration—might contribute to the addition of pollutants to rivers, lakes, and oceans? Why? 9. Which of the processes associated with the water cycle might be responsible for helping to clean or filter the water? 10. The water cycle is a closed system, meaning no water enters from beyond the system nor leaves the system. What does that say about the importance of keeping the water on Earth free from pollution?

Check the answer KEY and double check anything you don’t understand with someone who does. Did you watch the video????

9

Model 2 – The Carbon Cycle

11. Model 2 illustrates how nature recycles what natural resource?

12. Name two ways that carbon (usually in the form of CO2) enters the atmosphere.

13. Process D on the diagram uses CO2 from the atmosphere.

a. Label D on the diagram in Model 2 with the name of this process. b. What organisms carry out the process identified in part a?

14. Wastes and dead organisms must be broken down in order for their components to be used again.

a. What organisms in the cycle carry out this process?

b. What would happen if decomposition did not occur?

10

15. Not all dead organisms are acted on by decomposers. Instead of being immediately recycled, the carbon from some organisms is kept in a type of long-term storage, or carbon sink. Using Model 2, answer the questions below about this long-term storage.

a. List four materials that contain this stored carbon.

b. What is the collective term for these four materials?

c. How do humans use the materials in the carbon sink?

d. What is the scientific name for the process listed in part c? 16. List TWO examples of combustion in your everyday life. 17. How is the majority of electricity generated in the area where you live? Does the process involve the combustion of coal? Check with your teacher if you are not sure. 18. Many of the carbon-based fuels are categorized as fossil fuels because they formed from decayed organisms over millions of years. List as many examples of fossil fuels as you can. 19. How does our use of these carbon stores affect the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere?

11

Read This!

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the so-called greenhouse gases. These gases hold heat energy in the atmosphere, which raises the overall temperature of the Earth. This helps maintain the Earth’s biosphere, but also has led to environmental concerns. The more CO2 in the atmosphere, the higher the Earth’s average temperature will be.

20. What is another way in which human activity is increasing the amount of atmospheric CO2, and what are potential global effects of these changes in CO2 levels?

Check KEY, deal with problems, and move on. Did you watch the video????

12

Assignment #3: Food Chain Internet Activity

Instructions: - Open a web browser and go to: www.explorelearning.com - Type in Food Chain in the search box - Click on Launch Gizmo for the Food Chain activity. 1. Look at the simplified food chain represented by the pyramid. A species in the food chain eats the species just below it, and is eaten by the species just above it.

• Circle the PRODUCERS in this food chain:

Grass Rabbit Snake Hawk

• Circle the AUTOTROPHS:

Grass Rabbit Snake Hawk

• Circle the CONSUMERS:

Grass Rabbit Snake Hawk

• Circle the TOP CARNIVORES:

Grass Rabbit Snake Hawk

2. Click Play to start the simulation without changing any of the settings to show the “ideal” conditions for this ecosystem. Watch the populations of each species. Which population changeses the most over time?

Grass Rabbit Snake Hawk

3. Click Reset. In the SIMULATION pane, under Rabbit, select Diseased. This will introduce a disease into the rabbit population.

• What happens to the population of rabbits? ______________________________________

• Which populations increase? __________________________________________________

• Which populations decrease? _________________________________________________

13

4. Click Reset. In the SIMULATION pane, under Hawk, select Diseased to introduce a disease into the population of hawks and run the simulation. What happens to the:

• Snake population: Increases or Decreases Explain why this happens: ___________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

• Rabbit Population: Increases or Decreases Explain why this happens: ___________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

• Grass population: Increases or Decreases Explain why this happens: ___________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

5. Make a HYPOTHESIS about what would happen to the population of the rabbits if the grass were diseased.

If…__________________________________________________________________________ Then… _______________________________________________________________________ Use the Gizmo to check your answer. Were you correct? ____________________ 6. Perform an experiment to answer the question below. Be sure to click Reset before starting this

experiment.

• If all four species begin with a higher than usual population, what happens to the populations over time?

_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________

14

More Questions:

7. An energy pyramid is represented at the right. The energy for use by organisms in level A originally comes from

(1) producers (2) level B (3) the Sun (4) level D 8. Which type of organism can obtain energy directly from any of the other organisms in an ecosystem? (1) herbivore (2) producer (3) decomposer (4) carnivore 9. Some of the energy taken in by an organism is not available to other organisms in a food web. Energy that is not available to other organisms in a food web is energy that is (1) stored in the remains of a dead animal (2) lost to the environment as heat (3) stored in eggs produced during sexual reproduction (4) produced in muscle tissue during the growth of an organism 10. A food web is represented in the diagram below.

Which population in this food web would most likely be negatively affected by an increase in the mouse population? (1) snake (2) wolf (3) rabbit (4) hawk

15

Assignment # 4: Symbiotic Relationships

In the environment, all organisms must COMPETE for resources such as food, water and shelter. PREDATORS hunt and capture prey for their food. Many organisms live together, or symbiotically, in various ways. When both species benefit (+, +), they share a mutualistic relationship. However, sometimes one of the organisms is harmed while the other benefits. In this case the relationship is between a host (-) and a parasite (+). And lastly, sometimes one organism benefits (+) while the other receives no positive or negative effect (0) which is called commensalism. In this activity we will examine these different relationships in a coral reef ecosystem. But first, answer the questions below to get started. 1. An example of a commensalism would be

(1) fleas living in the fur of a dog (2) algal and fungal cells living together as lichen (3) tapeworms living in the intestines of a human (4) birds nesting on the branch of a tree

2. A parasitic relationship differs from a predator-prey relationship in that a

(1) host organism is killed right away whereas prey is not (2) prey organism is killed right away whereas a host is not (3) parasite helps its host whereas a predator kills its prey (4) prey organism benefits whereas a parasite’s host does not

3. Some crocodiles let small birds enter their mouths to pick small bits of food from between their

teeth. The crocodiles get clean teeth, while the birds get an easy meal. In this type of relationship

(1) both animals benefit (3) only the crocodiles benefit (2) both animals are harmed (4) only the birds benefit

4. The relationship between the crocodiles and the birds in #3 could be described as a

(1) predator-prey relationship (3) parasite-host relationship (2) mutualistic relationship (4) competitive relationship

5. The relationship that exists when athlete’s foot fungus grows on a human is an example of (1) predator/prey (3) producer/consumer (2) parasite/host (4) decomposer/autotroph

16

Now let’s look at some of these interactions online. The activity on the website contains four different zones of a coral reef ecosystem, which contain the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth.

• Go to www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/coral/ and read the introduction

• Click on Dive Now to launch the activity

• Play around a bit, or just click on the Instructions link to figure out how the activity works

• Find and describe one example of Predation, Parasitism, Commensalism/Mutualism and Competition to fill in the chart below for the coral reef

Type of Relationship Example and description

Predation

(Predator/Prey)

Parasitism

(Parasite/Host)

Competition

Commensalism or Mutualism

17

Assignment #5: Ecological Succession Notes Directions: Answer the following questions to increase your understanding of ecological succession. Pages 94-97 in the textbook can be used as a resource. 1. Lichen is a symbiotic relationship between two organisms. What two organisms make up

lichen and how does each organism play a role in promoting succession?

2. Define pioneer species and list a number of organisms that could be described as pioneer species.

3. How is primary succession different than secondary succession? How are they alike?

4. List as many events as you can that could lead to secondary succession and explain how that would occur.

5. What is the name given to the generally stable last stage of succession? 6. Based on the information you have gathered, define ecological succession in your own

words.

18

1. Years after the lava from an erupting volcano destroyed an area, grasses started to grow in that area. The grasses were gradually replaced by shrubs, evergreen trees, and finally, by a forest that remained for several hundred years. This entire process is an example of (1) feedback (2) ecological succession (3) plant preservation (4) deforestation

2. The diagram below represents a process that occurs in nature.

This diagram can be used to illustrate the (1) effects of reduced competition between different types of plant life (2) effect of human intervention on a stable ecosystem (3) ecological succession from bare rock to stable ecosystem (4) evolution of mosses to trees over 200 years 3. The sequence of stages leading from bare field to stage D best illustrates the process known as

(1) replication (2) feedback (3) recycling (4) succession

19

Assignment #6: Endangered Species Open a web browser and go to http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/index.html Pick any one of the groups on the upper left side of the page (or scroll down to see more species) and find the information listed below. If you choose a group of animals, for example, Marine Turtles, select one individual species or subspecies within that category, for example, the Loggerhead Turtle. You may need to search other web sites to find all of the required information. • Endangered Species Name: ______________________________________________________ • Habitat: ______________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ • Physical Features: _____________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ • Diet: ________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ • Reproduction/Life Cycle: ________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ • Threats: _____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

20

Assignment #7: Pollution and Other Human Impacts

Watch the video on pollution and match the correct causes and effects to each main type of pollution. Search The site from assignment 6 – search POLLUTION. Note: You can also check Mr. Beaney’s web site – under files Human impact ppt.

ACID RAIN CLIMATE CHANGE

OZONE DEPLETION

21

Pollution and Other Human Impacts Questions: 1. In state forests and parks containing varieties of flowering trees and shrubs, there are signs that say “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.” These signs are necessary because (1) humans can destroy habitats by removing flowering trees and shrubs (2) all animals feed directly on flowering shrubs that may be removed by people (3) removal of flowering trees and shrubs will increase biodiversity (4) flowering shrubs grow best in state forests and parks 2. Which human activity creates the least threat to global stability? (1) overuse of resources (3) pollution of water with heavy metals (2) pollution of air with sulfur gases (4) reuse of plastic bags 3. Which change is a cause of the other three? (1) increased fossil fuel consumption (3) destruction of the ozone shield (2) increased industrialization (4) destruction of natural habitats 4. In an attempt to improve environmental quality, local officials in a county in New York State want to build a garbage-to-steam plant. At the plant, garbage would be burned to produce energy, but air pollution would also be produced. In order to decide whether or not to build this plant, the community must consider (1) the trade-offs involved (3) new genetic technology (2) the natural process of succession (4) energy flow between organisms 5. Which human activity would most likely deplete finite resources? (1) use of natural enemies to eliminate insect pests (2) development of wildlife refuges (3) governmental restriction of industrial pollution (4) uncontrolled population growth 6. Increased industrialization will most likely (1) decrease available habitats (2) increase environmental carrying capacity for native species (3) increase the stability of ecosystems (4) decrease global warming 7. The soil on a farm can very quickly become depleted of the minerals essential to plants because harvesting of crops can interfere with the (1) reproductive cycles of animals (3) recycling of inorganic compounds (2) flow of energy (4) transport of groundwater

22

Assignment #8: Acid Rain

Use page 148 in your book to color and label the diagram below. Then answer the questions below the diagram. 1. What are two effects of acid rain on the environment?

• __________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ • __________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________

2. How could acid rain and its damaging effects be prevented? ____________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

23

Assignment #9: Invasive Species Invasive Species Video: Watch a video highlighting several cases of invasive species and fill in the chart below for any THREE species.

Name of Invasive Species

Location of Origin

New Location

How/Why it was

transported

Problems it’s causing

in new location

24

Invasive Species Reading: Read the passage below about invasive species in the Great Lakes and answer the questions.

Cargo ships traveling to the Great Lakes from the Caspian Sea in Eurasia often carry water in tanks known as ballast tanks. This water helps the ships to be more stable while crossing the ocean. Upon arrival in the Great Lakes, this water is pumped out of the ships. Often this water contains species that are not native to the Great Lakes environment. The zebra mussel is one species that was introduced into the Great Lakes in this way. Although large numbers of zebra mussels often clog water intake pipes of power plants and other industries, the mussels have a benefit. Each mussel filters about a quart of water per day, absorbing cancer causing PCB’s from lake water in the process. The goby, a bottom-feeding fish from Europe, was introduced into the Great Lakes in a similar way a few years later. The gobies have become a dominant species in the Great Lakes, eating small zebra mussels and the eggs and young of other fish. Gobies are eaten by large sport fish. These sport fish have been tested and PCB’s have been found in their tissues. Recommendations have been made that people limit the number of sport fish they eat.

Explain how the introduction of foreign species can often cause environmental problems. In your answer be sure to: • state how the zebra mussels and gobies were introduced into the United States

• state one way either the zebra mussels or gobies have become a problem in their new environment

• describe how both zebra mussels and gobies contribute to increasing the concentration of PCB’s in sport fish _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________

25

Assignment #10: Fossil Fuels vs. Renewable Resources Each year, a New York State power agency provides its customers with information about some of the fuel sources used in generating electricity. The table below applies to the period of 2002 -2003. Directions: Using the information given, construct a bar graph on the grid following the directions below.

• Mark an appropriate scale on the axis labeled “Percentage of Electricity Generated.”

• Construct vertical bars to represent the data. Shade in each bar.

1. Identify one fuel source in the table that is considered a fossil fuel. _____________________ 2. Identify one fuel source in the table that is classified as a renewable resource. ____________________________________ 3. State one specific environmental problem that can result from burning coal to generate electricity. _________________________________________________________________

26

Assignment #11: Transportation and Energy Video 1. What is the biggest source of air pollution in the United States? __________________________ 2. Fill in the missing parts of the chart below for each type of car engine:

Electric Hybrid Hydrogen Fuel Cell

How it works

(summary)

Combines hydrogen fuel with air to make electricity to run car

Pros No air pollution released by car at all!

Cons

Still burns some gasoline and therefore

releases some air pollution

3. List the waste products created when burning the following fuels:

• Octane: ________________________________________________________________

• Methane: _______________________________________________________________

• Hydrogen: ______________________________________________________________

27

Assignment #12: Regents Ecosystems and the Living Environment Questions

1. The table contains information about glucose production in a species of plant that lives in the water of a salt marsh. Which terms describe temperature in this investigation? (1) abiotic factor and independent variable (2) abiotic factor and dependent variable (3) biotic factor and independent variable (4) biotic factor and dependent variable 2. Some bloodsucking insects insert their mouthparts directly into a blood vessel and withdraw blood. Other bloodsucking insects have mouthparts that cut through the skin and blood vessels and produce a small pool of blood from which they feed. Both mouthpart types are specialized for (1) autotrophic nutrition (3) heterotrophic nutrition (2) regulation (4) excretion 3. The carrying capacity for herbivores in a habitat is most directly affected by the availability of (1) heat energy released by carnivores (3) carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (2) photosynthetic organisms (4) decomposers in the soil 4. In 1960, an invasive species of fish was introduced into the stable ecosystem of a river. Since then, the population of a native fish species has declined. This situation is an example of an (1) ecosystem that has recovered (2) ecosystem altered through the activities of an organism (3) environmental impact caused by physical factors (4) ecological niche without competition 5. The Audubon Society recently released a study that showed that the populations of some bird species have decreased in number by as much as 50% since 1966. The study eliminated food and water shortages and natural cycles as causes for the decrease. Which factor might have contributed to this decline? (1) overproduction of bird offspring (3) destruction of natural habitats (2) fewer predators (4) an energy-rich diet 6. Years after the lava from an erupting volcano destroyed an area, grasses started to grow in that area. The grasses were gradually replaced by shrubs, evergreen trees, and finally, by a forest that remained for several hundred years. This entire process is an example of (1) feedback (2) ecological succession (3) plant preservation (4) deforestation

28

7. A food web is represented below. A continuous decrease in the size of the rabbit population would most likely cause a decrease in which other population? (1) frog (2) grass (3) cricket (4) mountain lion 8. Maple trees and tulips are classified as autotrophs because they both (1) produce gametes by the process of mitosis (2) produce carbon dioxide and water as metabolic wastes (3) are able to obtain complex organic materials from the environment (4) are able to synthesize organic molecules from inorganic raw materials 9. The relationship that exists when athlete’s foot fungus grows on a human is an example of (1) predator/prey (3) producer/consumer (2) parasite/host (4) decomposer/autotroph 10. The amounts of all the organisms present in four different aquariums are shown below. Which aquarium would be the most stable?

29

11. What will most likely occur if two different plant species compete for the same requirements in an ecosystem? (1) They will usually develop different requirements. (2) One species may adapt to a different environment. (3) One species may be eliminated from that ecosystem. (4) They will alter the environment so that they can both survive in that ecosystem. Base your answers to questions 12 and 13 on the passage below.

Alaska: Anchorage - Birders noted a sharp increase in European starlings in the 2005 Anchorage Christmas Bird Count. The sometimes aggressive species is relatively new to Alaska. Only three starlings were spotted during the 1995 Christmas bird count. In 2004, there were 35. In 2005, birders counted 156. Source: USA Today, 12/28/05

12. Which graph best represents the change in the number of starlings seen in the Anchorage area?

13. The change in the starling population in Anchorage from 1995 to 2005 could have been due to the presence of (1) a large population of competing species (3) an abundant food supply (2) a wide variety of predators (4) very few flowering plants

30

14. A five-year study was carried out on a population of algae in a lake. The study found that the algae population was steadily decreasing in size. Over the five-year period this decrease most likely led to (1) a decrease in the amount of nitrogen released into the atmosphere (2) an increase in the amount of oxygen present in the lake (3) an increase in the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere (4) a decrease in the amount of oxygen released into the lake 15. Which result of technological advancement has a positive effect on the environment? (1) development of new models of computers each year, with disposal of the old ones in landfills (2) development of new models of cars that travel fewer miles per gallon of gasoline (3) development of equipment that uses solar energy to charge batteries (4) development of equipment to speed up the process of cutting down trees 16. The increasing demands for fossil fuels has led government and businesses to consider several possibilities to solve the energy crisis. Which solution will reduce the impact of this crisis on the environment and future generations? (1) increase the number of drilling sites for crude oil in North America (2) build more power plants away from population centers (3) limit the number of people in each vehicle (4) develop alternative fuel sources that can be produced from renewable resources 17. The graph below shows changes in the populations of two species that interact only with each other over a period of time. Which statement best describes these two species? (1) Species A is a producer and species B is its consumer. (2) Species A is a host and species B is its parasite. (3) Species A is a predator and species B is its prey. (4) Species A is a scavenger and species B is its decomposer.

31

Base your answers to questions 18 and 19 on the information provided. The graph below represents the amount of energy stored in each level of an energy pyramid.

18. Which level most likely represents the AUTOTROPHS in the energy pyramid? Support your answer. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 19. State one reason why the amount of energy in level 3 is greater than that in level 4. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 20. In much of the northeastern United States, the populations of white-tailed deer have increased so much that they have become a problem because they eat crops, flowers, and shrubs. The elimination of the main predators of the deer and the lack of other natural enemies are often given as reasons for this population increase. Three possible methods of controlling the deer population are listed below.

• A - spread poisoned food in the habitat of the deer • B - introduce a new predator of deer from another region • C - introduce another animal species to compete with the deer for food

Choose one of these methods and write its letter in the space below. State how this method might have a negative impact, other than killing deer, on the local ecosystem. Method: _______ Base your answers to 21 – 23 on the information below. A town located in New York State has a 500-acre piece of land available for development. The town board has to decide how to respond to two groups interested in the land. Characteristics of the land:

- mostly trees with some grassland and several small streams - a large lake which supports a great variety of fish and other wildlife Two different groups are interested in developing the property:

Group A: a logging company that wants to use the trees for lumber Group B : an environmental organization that wants to make it a park

______________________________________________________________________________________

32

21. State one benefit that implementing the group A proposal may provide for the town. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 22. State one specific negative consequence of having group A develop the land. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 23. State one specific positive consequence of implementing the proposal of group B. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ Base your answers to questions 24 through 25 on the information below.

A park with a small lake is home to a population of ducks. The building of a housing complex eliminates a nearby pond. Soon other ducks and waterbirds like geese and egrets come to live at this small lake.

24. State one specific way the new populations of birds may affect the original population of ducks. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 25. State one specific way the new populations of birds may change the ABIOTIC factors of the environment in and around the lake. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 26. Predict one way the new populations of birds may affect the populations of plants that live in and around the lake. _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________