Ecology Project
Biology
Name:_____________________
Period: ________
Scenario: You are an ecologist working for a committee that reports to the United Nations,
called Earth Think.
Your job is to study various ecosystems on Earth to ensure that all populations and species are
preserved.
As you are studying the ecosystems of Earth, you find that a
specific species population and that organism’s ecosystem is in danger!
You will need to notify the United Nations Committee of the problem occurring in the ecosystem
of your organism! Help them to see how this organism population is an important part of the
ecosystem, and without it, the ecosystem will collapse!
Your goal: Create a presentation (use PowerPoint or make a video--your choice) whose
purpose is to convince a committee to preserve a species in a specific ecosystem.
In this presentation:
1. You will describe the ecosystem.
● With 3-5 sentence descriptions.
● Identify the abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem.
2. Identify your species in the levels of organization species.--biosphere.
3. Draw or create a diagram of a food web containing your species.
● Food web must contain at least 3 food chains (each chain has 3 or more
organisms).
● Identify the producers, (Primary, Secondary, Tertiary) Consumers and
Decomposers
● Use arrows showing the flow of energy.
4. Describe interactions between your organism species and abiotic & biotic components of
one cycle studied in class.
Explain how your organism is part of a cycle.
5. Explain how carrying capacity in your ecosystem will support the preservation of your
species population.
6. Give one example of how carrying capacity can be exceeded to decrease the population
of your species.
Page 1 of 3
7. Offer solutions to ensure the preservation of your population.
List 2 or more solutions.
8. Include a labeled graph to help explain one component of your presentation. This could
be population comparisons, populations over time, graphs to show carrying capacity,
biomass
9. At the end of your presentation, list your resources or websites used in the presentation.
You MUST have external sources of information. Use the Internet, books, or magazines,
etc. Cite them correctly using: http://www.easybib.com
Start here! Review the “Ecology Final Project Grading Rubric” (at to bottom of this page) to
see how your presentation will be graded and the components you will want to include to earn
the grade you want for demonstrating your understanding.
Get ready: You may want to base your project off of a population of organisms that has been
interesting to you in the past.
If you have no preferences, Ideas and potential ecosystems could be found at the following
websites:
● Marine Food Web: http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Life-in-the-Sea/SciMedia/Animations-and-Interactives/Marine-ecosystem
● Arctic food web http://sonic.net/~birdman/arctic/foodweb.htm
● Sea Otter Food web http://cbc.amnh.org/crisis/foodweb.html
● Desert Food web http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/food-chains/
Grading:
●
●
●
●
Your presentation can be a PowerPoint, video, or paper. Ask your Mr. G if you have
another suggestion.
See the rubric below--Your presentation will be graded on the 10 items listed in left
column w/ pts from top row.
Grading Scale- 100 pts Possible. 0-60= No apparent effort to learn evident, 6169=minimal understanding, 70-79= Developing, 80-89= Proficient, 90-100= Mastery
Should you have any questions regarding this assignment, contact Mr. G.
Page 2 of 3
ECOLOGY PROJECT RUBRIC
item
0 points
Little
evidence
5 points
Developing
7 points
Proficient
10 points
Master
1. Description
of ecosystem
No
description
or one that is
less then 3
sentences
3 or more sentences
about ecosystem that
contain little description
3-5 descriptive
sentences.
3-5 descriptive sentences
that paint a vivid picture of
the ecosystem
2. Identifies
abiotic & biotic
factors and
interactions
No
identification
of factors nor
interactions
Identifies at least 3
factors each, that are
biotic and abiotic. No
interactions given
between factors &
species.
Identifies at least 3
factors each, that are
biotic and abiotic.
Details interactions
between factors &
species.
Identifies at least 5 factors
each, that are biotic and
abiotic. Details interactions
between factors & species.
3.
Identification
of species
level of
organization in
biosphere
No
identification
of level of
organization
Gives a level. No
description
Describes the species
place in the level of
organization
Describes the species
organizational level and
relationship to others.
4. Food web
No graphical
or
descriptive
web or the
web given is
inaccurate.
The food web is
graphical OR
descriptive and
contains at least 3 food
chains that are
connected at at least
one organism.
The food web is
graphical and
descriptive and
contains at least 3 food
chains that are
connected at least one
organism.
The web given is both
graphical and descriptive
with 3 distinctly different food
chains of 3 or more
organisms that interconnect
to make a complex web.
5.
Understands
the
relationship
between
Carrying
Capacity and
population.
Does not
relate
carrying
capacity to
population
Gives at least 1
example of how
carrying capacity can
be exceeded to
decrease the
population of your
species.
Gives more then 1 example
and describes in detail the
relationship between carrying
capacity and population.
6. Data
Presentation
No graph
Include an accurate &
labeled graph to help
explain one component
Included a meticulous graph
that was accurate, labeled,
and was visually clear in
explaining a component
7. Argument
for preserving
your chosen
species
No argument
or, simply a
presentation
of facts.
An argument is
presented for
preserving the chosen
species.
Presents a compelling
argument for preserving their
species.
Wrongly explains the
relationship
Included a graph that
was not accurate or did
not explain a
component
An argument is present
but is weak and/or
includes no rationale
for preservation.
8. References
No
references
cited.
At least 1 reference
given.
At least 1 reference
cited correctly or 3
references given.
At least 3 references given
AND cited correctly
9. Mechanics
Too many
errors,
misspellings,
& mistakes
to be
considered
serious.
Many errors that
detract from the
presentation.
Presentation is
organized with few
errors that detract from
the presentation
Near perfect. No spelling or
convention errors.
10.
Presentation
Not turned-in
on or before
deadline.
<-
->
Received by teacher on or
before deadline
Page 3 of 3
Arce-Woods,
Natalia
Calmes,
Peyton
Cutler,
Phoebe
Han,
Bom
Harder,
Hailey
Hirsch,
Haven
Jemal,
Taha
Ma,
YuHan
(Stella)
MaxwellTrott,
Sophie
Nguyen,
Long (Aaron)
Orduno,
Marco
Raftery,
Nicholas
Torgerson,
Mckay
Wang,
Xiang (Rena)