ES1110_Week2_EcologyLabQuestions Completed

.docx

School

New England College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

1110

Subject

Biology

Date

Jun 21, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

2

Uploaded by SargentTeam20548

ES1110 Environmental Science: A Global Concern – Ecology Laboratory Questions Include your answers to the Ecology Laboratory questions on this sheet and submit this file . Producers – Part 1 1. (12 pts) Did you find that one producer was dominant? Why might one producer be dominant over another? Answer: The more dominant species will thrive most effectively due to competition. The environmental conditions are conducive for the prosperity of only a single plant species. Producers – Part 2 2. (12 pts) Does adding the herbivore result in a more equal field or is one producer still dominant over the other? Answer: Plant A demonstrated dominance over Plants B and was most suited to the environmental conditions of the terrain. 3. (12 pts) How do producer population numbers change with the presence of a herbivore compared to the primary-colonizer-only model (no herbivores present)? Answer: The population numbers of producers adjust in the presence of a herbivore, achieving a more balanced state compared to the primary-colonizer-only model. Should the numbers become excessively high, the primary-colonizer-only model would become destabilized, leading to a significant decline in Plant A. Food Web – Part 1 4. (12 pts) What would happen to this imaginary ecosystem if the producers were to die out in terms of energy transfer between trophic levels? Answer: The absence of energy transfers across trophic levels would precipitate the extinction of all organisms. The removal of producers would cause the entire food chain to collapse. Primary consumers or herbivores that rely on producers would die off, and higher-level consumers would suffer as lower-trophic-level organisms began to perish. 5. (12 pts) 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? 1
ES1110 Environmental Science: A Global Concern – Ecology Laboratory Questions Answer: The species that witnessed population growth are Herbivore A and the Top Predator. Their increase in number can be attributed to the dominance of Plant A. Simulations 1 and 2 both indicate a decrease in numbers due to the decline of Omnivore A, which consequently results in a decrease in Plant A. 6. (12 pts) Which populations would benefit the most from the presence of decomposers? Answer: The producers benefit when decomposers break down dead matter, releasing proteins and nutrients into the soil, which significantly aids plant growth. Food Web – Part 2 7. (14 pts)Were you able to modify the parameters so that each species survived? Answer: I was unable to modify the parameters sufficiently to ensure the survival of each species. 8. (14 pts) Which way does energy flow and how does eating an organism result in energy? Answer: Energy flows from plants to herbivores, then to omnivores, and finally to top predators. The consumption of one organism by another results in energy transfer, and when an organism is eaten, its energy is transferred to its consumer. 2
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
  • Access to all documents
  • Unlimited textbook solutions
  • 24/7 expert homework help