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Ecology Online Simulation

Measuring species interactions and resulting population changes can be challenging. It often requires intensive field work over several seasons and locations, extensive funding, and numerous skilled scientists. Simulations allow us to learn about species interactions and population dynamics through play and exploration. This ecological simulation is an opportunity to experiment with species interactions in order to learn about different potential outcomes. Responses to follow-up questions should be based on the simulation results and content from your textbook, as well as other scholarly or credible sources. To complete the ecology laboratory assignment for this week, follow the steps below: •Read this week’s assigned chapters •Download and review the Ecology Laboratory Instructions (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and follow the steps indicated. •Download the Ecology Laboratory Reporting Form (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. All of the data will be reported and the questions answered directly on this form. This is the form that you will submit to Waypoint for grading. When completed, save the Ecology Laboratory Reporting Form (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. as a Word document. No title page or headers are necessary. If you include any outside resources to complete the questions, then they should be formatted according to APA

ENV326 Ecology and Evolution Week Four Laboratory Instructions

Resource needed: Annenberg Learner. (n.d.). Ecology [Interactive lab]. In The Habitable Planet. Retrieved from https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/ecology/ 1. Carefully review the Grading Rubric for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment

before you begin. Complete Tables 1 through 4 and answer questions 1 through 7. List any references

used in the Reference Section.

2. Go to https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/ecology/ to open the ecology lab simulator.

3. To complete Table 1 – Select Plant A and Plant B from the Food Web by clicking on the plant

images. Click on the “Step” tab once to collect data on each plant population on Day 1. You can

collect the data by moving your cursor over the graph where the population size for each species is

given. Record your Data in Table 1 in the Ecology Laboratory Reporting Form. Then repeat by

clicking the tab until you reach Days 4 and 8, and record the data. Finally, click on “Run” to reach

Day 100 and record the data in Table 1. Answer question number 1.

*If you make a mistake, click on All Species Off to remove species from your graph and/or

click on reset to remove data from the graph.

4. To complete Table 2 – Select Plants A and Plant B, and Herbivore A from the Food Web by

clicking on the species images. Click on the “Step” tab once to collect data on each species

population on Day 1. Record your Data in Table 2 in the Ecology Laboratory Reporting Form.

Then repeat by clicking the tab until you reach Days 4 and 8, and record the data. Be sure to also

record the beginning population size for each species at Day 0 by placing your cursor over the

graph where Day 0 intersects with each population line. Finally, click on “Run” to reach Day 100

and record the data in Table 2. Answer questions 2 and 3.

https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/ecology/
https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/ecology/
http://learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/carbon/carbon.html
http://learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/carbon/carbon.html
*When you select Herbivore, be sure to also select Plant A from the drop down box. You

are on the right track when you see a line from Herbivore A to Plant A on your Food Web

diagram.

5. To complete Table 3 – For table 3, you will make some predictions about changes to the

population size for each species in your community. Review the table and based on the assigned

reading and your results from Tables 1 and 2, predict whether each population will increase,

decrease, or die out. Select Plants A and B, Herbivore A, Omnivore A, and Top Predator from

the Food Web by clicking on the species images. When you select the species be sure that

Herbivore A eats Plant A, and Omnivore A eats only Herbivore A. Click on “Run” to reach Day

100 and record whether each population increased, decreased, or died out. Answer questions 4

and 5.

6. To complete Table 4 – You will continue to make population predictions in a more complex food

chain by indicating whether each species increased, decreased, or died out. This time, select

Plants A, B, and C; Herbivores A and B; and Omnivores A and B, and Top Predator from the

Food Web by clicking on the species images. When you select the species be sure that all species

are linked in a chain. For example, Omnivore C eats Herbivore C which eats Plant C. The top

predator eats both Omnivores A and C. Your food web should look like the one below. Click on

“Run” to reach Day 100 and record whether each population increased, decreased, or died out.

Answer questions 4 and 5.