Question

ecology webquest
#1 populations http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_population.html

• what is population?
• two things that increase a population
• two things that decrease a population
• humans and dogs live together, are they part of the same population? why or why not?

#2 limiting factors http://www.geography4kids.com/files/land_population.html
explain each of the 3 limiting factors listed on this site:
1.
2.
3.
#3 ecosystems http://forest.mtu.edu/kidscorner/ecosystems/definition.html

• what is an ecosystem?
• what do ecosystems include?
• what happens if one part of an ecosystem in damaged or destroyed?

#4 food chains http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm

• what do all living things need? why?
• where do animals get it? plants?

click to learn about bigger food chains!

• what do the links (arrows) in a food chain represent?
• explain how the last food chain represents a full circle of life.

click on the tabs on the right and fill in the blanks (herbivore, omnivore, decomposer, etc)

• a person is called a ______________ because they eat meat & vegetables.
• ______________ are animals that only eat meat.
• ______________ are animals that only eat plants.

Explanation:

1. Population: A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in the same area. Two things that increase a population are birth and immigration. Two things that decrease a population are death and emigration. Humans and dogs are not part of the same population as they are different species.
2. Limiting Factors: Commonly - limiting factors include food availability (limits growth when scarce), space (restricts number of individuals that can live in an area), and predation (higher predation reduces prey population).
3. Ecosystems: An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with their physical environment. Ecosystems include biotic factors (living things like plants, animals) and abiotic factors (non - living things like water, soil, sunlight). If one part of an ecosystem is damaged or destroyed, it can cause a chain - reaction, disrupting the balance and potentially harming other parts of the ecosystem.
4. Food Chains: All living things need energy. They need it for growth, reproduction, and other life - processes. Animals get energy from eating other organisms. Plants get energy from the sun through photosynthesis. The links (arrows) in a food chain represent the flow of energy from one organism to another. The last food chain represents a full circle of life as it shows how energy is transferred from producers to consumers and then to decomposers, which recycle nutrients back into the environment for producers to use again. A person is called an omnivore because they eat meat and vegetables. Carnivores are animals that only eat meat. Herbivores are animals that only eat plants.

Answer:

1. Population: A group of same - species individuals in an area. Increase: Birth, immigration. Decrease: Death, emigration. Humans and dogs: No, different species.
2. Limiting Factors: Food availability, space, predation.
3. Ecosystem: Community of living and non - living interacting. Includes: Biotic and abiotic factors. Damage: Disrupts balance, harms other parts.
4. All living things need energy for life - processes. Animals get from other organisms, plants from sun. Arrows represent energy flow. Full circle as energy goes from producers to consumers to decomposers and back to producers. Person: Omnivore. Meat - only animals: Carnivores. Plant - only animals: Herbivores.