ECOLOGY STATION 1:
Ecology is the scientific study of interactions of organisms with one
another and with the physical and chemical environment. Although it
includes the study of environmental problems such as pollution, the
science of ecology mainly involves research on the natural world from
many viewpoints, using many techniques. Modern ecology relies
heavily on experiments, both in laboratory and in field settings. These
techniques have proved useful in testing ecological theories, and in
arriving at practical decisions concerning the management of natural
resources.
An understanding of ecology is essential for the survival of the human
species. Our populations are increasing rapidly, all around the world,
and we are in grave danger of outstripping the earth’s ability to
supply the resources that we need for our long-term survival.
Furthermore, social, economic and political factors often influence the
short-term distribution of resources needed by a specific human
population. An understanding of ecological principles can help us
understand the global and regional consequences of competition
among humans for the scarce natural resources that support us.
Ecology is a science that contributes considerably to our
understanding of evolution, including our own evolution as a species.
All evolutionary change takes place in response to ecological
interactions that operate on the population, community, ecosystem,
biome and biosphere levels. Studies conducted within the scientific
discipline of ecology may therefore focus on one or more different
levels: on populations of a single species, on an interacting community
involving populations of many species, on the movement of matter
and energy through a community within and ecosystem, on large scale
processes within a biome, or on global patterns within the biosphere.
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ECOLOGY STATION 1 ACTIVITY
NAME: _____________________
Based on the Information provided by Station 1 complete the following instructions:
Think about your daily activities. Fill in the chart below with a quick description of the interactions you can think of
that you complete in a normal day:
______Organism interactions____________________________________Environment Interactions__________
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ECOLOGY STATION 2: LEVELS of ECOLOGY
Ecologist divide the environment up into different levels based on what they are
looking at.
Organism/Individual – At this level of organization the scientists would be
looking at a single individual. This level is usually used by biologists to study
anatomy and physiology. Ecologists rarely focus on this level due to lack of
interaction possible.
Population – At this level of organization Ecologists will be looking at a group of
the same species living in the same defined area. Usually this level is used to
study the interactions occurring between the individuals of a population. This
level shows us the social organization of a given species and allows us to
determine mating rituals, pecking orders, population structure, and how much
social impacts the population.
Community – At this level of organization, Ecologists are looking at multiple
populations of species and how they interact within a given area. This level
contains food chains, food webs, and many of the interactions that ecologists
can study for their entire lives without needing to look beyond this layer.
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Ecosystem- At this level of organization, Ecologists focus on everything (living
and NONLIVING) in a given area. Though they can look at all the interactions that
are in all the levels below, the ecosystem level is usually the focus on resource
allocation. Whether species are competing over a resource or sharing it in unique
ways this is where these interactions are studies. Localized disasters and human
impact can be studied at this level resulting in many careers (other than scientific
research) being created. These include, but are not limited to, Environmental
Specialist, Ecological Impact reporters, Environmental Management, and Human
Impact Abatement Officers.
Biome – This level of organization deals with a collection of ecosystems that are
all under similar climate conditions within a given area. At the biome level
Weather and Climate take over for research. At this level, ecologists are studying
drought and flood situations and how these variations in water availability
influence the ecosystems within the biome. Also at this level, ecologists can
study population dynamics (how populations change over time), since
individuals of a population will move from one population to another in a
different designated ecosystem. This is the level that designates parts and places
of the world as Deserts, Tropical Rain Forests, Temperate Rain Forest, and the
other biomes.
Biosphere – This is the largest level of ecological organization recognized by
Ecologists. It includes all living things on the Earth up to 10km into the air. At this
level ecologists are studying global climate change, global impacts of disasters
and changes in the biodiversity (sum total of ALL living things) of the Earth.
Considered self contained.
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ECOLOGY STATION 2: ACTIVITY
NAME: _________________
A biosphere is a self contained structure that is able to provided all
things a living population needs to survive indefinitely. Since it is self
contained, this means that no external inputs (like adding in more
water, food, or oxygen) should be required to maintain its functionality.
Humans want to colonize the Moon. This would require us to build a
moon base with the idea that we would NOT need to import things
from Earth to keep people alive. In the Space below describe what will
be needed for this to work on the moon. Don’t forget to think about
waste removal, oxygen source, food source for all living organisms, and
maintaining a life supporting climate.
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ECOLOGY STATION 3: METHODS of STUDY
Ecologists study the planet using different methods.
Observational Field Studies:
Ecologists typically study interaction in situ (in the actual
environment). They go out into the wilderness and make observations
based on what is happening in front of them without any human
intervention. These types of studies are very useful in allowing
ecologists to see actual behaviors and reactions without having to
worry about human interference. Typically the observations made using
all the senses and digital equipment (gps tags, lux meters, and various
other devices that measure both the biotic and abiotic factors of an
ecosystem) are recorded in field notebooks in ink that is waterproof
and permanent. Observational studies can last from a couple of days to
decades in length. These types of studies are usually gain more publicity
due to the footage, pictures, and information gained. Well known
examples are Jane Goodall (leading researcher of Apes – work featured
in Gorillas in the Mist), Planet Earth, Life, and David Attenborough
(narrator of most every biology documentary).
Field studies often require counts (sampling). To do this, Ecologists will
set up defined quadrats and count the number of individuals/species
within each quadrat. By doing this, population
density can be observed, trends in population
location can be described, and many other
phenomena that would go unnoticed without this
mapping technique.
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Experimental/Lap Studies –
Experimental studies are run in highly controlled environments. The
lab set up allows for determining what species will do under conditions
that are either rare to observe or are just unknown to exist currently
but may in the present. Experiments can gain knowledge of things like
how much fertilizer run off rich in nitrogen will be a lethal dose to
stream fish and insects, or how will increased heat influence the
behavior of mice. These studies provide us information on what to
expect if the environment were to change in the tested circumstances.
What these experiments also show us is how flexible (plastic) a species
is to change and whether or not the drastic changes will be a threat to
the ecosystem and to humans. The drawback is that what is observed in
a lab is not necessarily true of what will happen in nature, it is only a
best guess.
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Modeling –
The third type of Study in Ecology is known as modeling. The use of
modeling is to create reasonable facsimiles that act and behave like the
real occurrence in nature. The reason for making these models is so that
the scientists can study phenomena that are either too dangerous or
rare to study. You experience the result of experimental modeling by
looking up the weather forecast. The meteorologists are plugging in
information from various data collection points around the area into
the computer model which once it is run produces the forecast. It is a
best guess using the information provided. As you have experienced
(like yesterday) these guess can and are often incorrect. This is one of
the drawbacks of modeling. Since the computer model is NOT the real
thing, all the information gained from it is a best guess.
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ECOLOGY STATION #3: ACTIVITY
NAME: ___________________
Try your hand at sampling through the use of Quadrats!
Task 1: Finding the average population of the Hole bugs in the ceiling
tiles of room 29.
To do this, count the number of holes on 6 different complete ceiling
tiles (full squares NOT the Cuts ones along the Edges)
Tile 1: ________
Tile 2: _______
Tile 3: _________
Tile 4: ________
Tile 5: _______
Tile 6: _________
Total number of Hole Bugs: ___________
Total number of Hole Bugs per TILE (above divided by 6): ___________
TASK 2: This time the quadrat is going to be the classroom you are in for
each period. In the spaces below record the number of students in your
class each period. Find the average classroom density of the El Camino
High School that you experience daily.
Period 1:________
Period 4: _________
Period 2:________
Period 5: _________
Period 3:________
Period 6: _________
TOTAL STUDENTS: ___________
AVG Students per classroom: ____________
ECHS has 1740 students and about 70 classrooms. Based on these
numbers how many students should be in EACH classroom. __________
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ECOLOGY STATION #4: PRODUCERS
Producers are the basis of ALL food chains. The reason for this is that
Producers, or autotrophs, are able to make their own food and so do
not need to consume other organisms to survive. Producers are
normally thought of as plants, but many other organisms make up this
vital role for life including algae, protoplants, and many bacteria.
Producers can be separated by which method they use to make their
food.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS is the process by
which organisms convert light energy
into chemical energy through the use of
light absorbing pigments and the Calvin
cycle. The photosystems absorb the
photons of light, moving an electron eventually to an oxygen molecule.
During this process it creates ATP and NADPH which are used in to
power the Calvin cycle. The Calvin Cycle uses Carbon Dioxide and the
molecules created by the photosystems to create sugars for the
organism which can then be used to produce large amount of ATP.
Organisms that use this method must have easy access to light,
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CHEMOSYNTHESIS is usually performed by organisms that never see the
light and have a large source of organic molecules like sulfuric acid and
methane. Chemosynthesis uses oxidation-reduction reactions, also
known as redox reactions, to supply the energy required to
manufacture carbohydrates out of carbon dioxide and water. This kind
of reaction involves the loss of electrons from one substance and the
adding of electrons to another. The substance receiving the electrons —
usually oxygen — is said to have been reduced, while the one supplying
them has been oxidized. Reduction requires energy, but oxidation
releases it. The two reactions always occur together, but those used in
chemosynthesis result in an overall release of energy.
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ECOLOGY STATION #4 ACTIVITY
NAME: ___________________
Fill in the Venn Diagram for Photosynthesis and Chemosynthesis:
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
CHEMOSYNTHESIS
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ECOLOGY STATION #5: CONSUMERS
Consumers make up all the other portions of a food chain.
Consumers, or heterotrophs, must eat part or all of another organism to
survive. Consumers can be divided up in different ways. The first way to
divide consumers is to base it on how broad of a menu the organism
eats. The two groups are Generalists and Specialists.
Generalists eat many different things. An example would be a
Cow that eats many different types of grasses and field plants.
Generalists have many options so are less likely to go extinct from a
reduction in food source; however, they can be put into danger if there
are many specialists around that can out compete the generalist for the
various food types.
Specialists are very picky and have earned the name of specialist
because they SPECIALIZE on one or two food sources. This is a result of
competition. This competition usually causes these specialists to
develop unique body shapes that help them to more efficiently get their
food. An example would be a hummingbird. The long beak and tongue
makes them extremely efficient at eating nectar from flowers.
However, the drawback of being a specialist is that you are at a higher
risk of going extinct should the environment change in unfavorable
ways.
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The other way to divide consumers is by what they eat. Below is a list of
diet types.
Herbivore: Diet of plant/vegetable matter
Carnivore: Diet of meat/protein based flesh
Omnivore: Diet consisting of many of these combined
Pescivore: Diet of fish
Frugivore: Diet of fruit
Sanguivore: Diet of blood
Gumivore: Diet of tree saps and gums
Foliovore: Diet of leaves
Insectivore: Diet of insects
Detritovore: Diet of decaying organic material
Scavenger: Diet of freshly dead animals aka Carrion (meat that has not
started rotting, but no longer alive)
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ECOLOGY STATION #5: ACTIVITY
NAME: ___________________
MATCH THE PICTURED ANIMAL TO ITS DIET:
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A. Omnivore B. Frugivore
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C. Scavenger D. Carnivore E. Herbivore
List 3 types of diets that were NOT described in this station.
___________________
___________________
___________________
What is your favorite ANIMAL? ________________
What is its diet (feeding behavior)? ________________
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ECOLOGY STATION 6: FEEDING RELATIONSHIPS
How organisms feed on each other plays one of the most significant
roles in an Ecosystem. The reason for this is that feeding relationships
determine which resources are scarce and will encourage competition
and which ones are abundant and can support large amounts of life.
Feeding relationships can be studied at two different levels.
The first is as a food chain. A food chain is 1 series of direct
feeding relationships starting from one producer all the way through
the apex predator/consumer (the consumer at the top of the food chain
that does not have any predators). Since producers are the beginning of
ALL food chains, when a chain is drawn vertically, produces are on the
bottom. The consumer that eats the producer is referred to as the
primary consumer and if being drawn or listed vertically would be on
top of the producer level. Next, the consumer that eats the primary
consumer (the one that ate the producer) is called the secondary
consumer. This continues until the food chain is complete. When
drawing a food chain, arrows are used to connect the links in the chain
with the arrow pointing to what is doing the eating.
Producer ->Primary Consumer -> Secondary Consumer -> Tertiary Con.
One fallacy shown in a food chain is that it looks like a straight line. In
actuality the chain is a circle because once the consumers die,
decomposers recycle the nutrients in their bodies back into the soil
where the producers absorb them and start the game again.
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The second level of feeding relationship organization is known as
a food web. In this level, a web is made from combining all the food
chains in an ecosystem. These are drawn in the same way as a food
chain with the arrows pointing at what is doing the eating. However,
the big difference is that there will be multiple arrows pointing towards
and away each organism. Another difference is that depending on
which feeding steps you follow an organism can be considered a
primary, secondary, and a tertiary consumer. In food webs it is not
unheard of to have more than 10 consumer levels above a producer.
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SIMPLIFIED ATLANIC FOOD WEB
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ECOLOGY STATION #6: ACTIVITY
NAME: _____________________
List 2 different food chains below:
-
Chain 1: ________________________________________________
Chain 2: ________________________________________________
What are the producers?
What are the Primary Consumers? What diet(s) do these organisms have?
What are the Tertiary Consumers? What diet(s) do these organisms have?
Which of the animals are the top predators? What diet(s) do these organisms have?
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ECOLOGY STATION #7 ABIOTIC FACTORS
Abiotic factors are all the nonliving features of an ecosystem. It is
important for ecologists to keep track of these factors because they will
have a large impact on the availability of resources (such as water,
nutrients, and other chemicals needed for life). Abiotic factors include:
- Water - Rock - Dirt
- Sand -Elements
- Climate - Weather
- Fire
- Ice
Of all of these the most important three are Water, Weather, and
Climate.
Water is important because without water life is not able to survive.
Living things use water for waste removal, maintaining body
temperature, habitat, breeding grounds, source of food, and main other
uses. These are also the reason why NASA scientists are constantly
looking for celestial bodies (planets and moons) that contain water
before getting excited about finding extraterrestrial life.
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What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is a change in the atmospheric conditions of an area for a short
time. These short events have a large influence on the ecosystem. A few
examples are:
- Heavy rains cause usually slow flowing rivers and streams to
become flooded with water. With this excess of water, the flow
speed increases. The faster the water moves the harder it is for the
land of the ecosystem to contain that movement. The land around
the moving water will start to be eroded away creating large
ditches, sink holes, and in more extreme cases canyons and lakes.
- Another example would be increased temperature. Organisms
have a finite range of temperature that they can safely live in.
Short periods of extreme heat can kill off the old and weak, while
prolonged periods can cause even the healthiest of the population
to become ill or even die. Humans are a great example. Come the
summer, there will be news stories about deaths related to heat
stroke and heat exhaustion.
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Climate refers to the average and long term changes to the atmosphere
over decades and centuries. Climate is usually more stable and stays
pretty much the same over the years. Organisms have adapted to the
climate of an area and show this through behaviors that occur
throughout the year roughly at the same time every year. For example,
we are now in spring. Ask a 5 year old to describe spring and without a
doubt they will tell you that the weather gets warmer, it stays lighter
longer, flowers are blooming, and there are more animals outside.
Simple as this explanation is, it still illustrates that the seasons are
defined by the climate that has been observed year in and year out.
Of course changing the climate over time can have a drastic effect.
Historically, ice ages are global climate changes where the temperature
on the Earth’s surface decreased and the amount of ice increased. After
the ice ages, there is a period of melt and warming. Usually, this
warming is eventually corrected by natural occurrences and the Earth
begins to cool yet again. However, if warming goes uncorrected, the
surface of the Earth will eventually achieve temperatures that are
inhospitable to life, and the planet will become lifeless.
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ECOLOGY STATION #7 Activity
Name: _____________________________________
In the picture above, list the ABIOTIC features that you can see.
Look around you right now. List the abiotic factors that you are
interacting with.
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ECOLOGY STATION #7 ACTIVITY CONTINUED
You will need to do some outside research to answer the following
questions.
How are biomes linked to climate?
Describe the climate of Sacramento, California.
When the weather starts to warm up in Sacramento, Ca. the news folks
start talking about the Delta Breeze. What is the Delta Breeze?
Why does the breeze cool the Sacramento area?
How can this breeze influence the biotic factors?
How can ABIOTIC factors define an ecosystem?
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ECOLOGY STATION #8 BIOTIC FACTORS
Biotic factors are the living things in an ecosystem. Organisms of all
types help to modify and create an ecosystem that is more efficient at
maintaining the conditions needed for life. As more organisms join an
ecosystem, the species will begin to diversify in order to use the all the
resources available. A healthy ecosystem has many specialists and
generalists. This is because as competition increases within the finite
area of the ecosystem, those traits that are allowing for the members of
each population within the ecosystem to survive and reproduce will be
passed on. If a new trait is formed that happens to be advantageous
(positive, good to have), than that trait will most likely become the
dominant phenotype found in the ecosystem.
Biotic factors rely on each other for survival in more than just food.
Biotic factors can provide new habitats for other organisms to inhabit,
new resources to be used, and may aid other biotic factors in
reproduction. Example of reproduction being aid is many plants require
their seeds to travel through the digestive tract of an organism to
trigger them to sprout.
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ECOLOGY STATION 8 – ACTIVITY
Name: ______________________
Using the picture below, list the BIOTIC factors you see.
Today when you get home, for 30 minutes, make a list of the BIOTIC factors in
your environment. Do not forget plants are alive and so are bacteria which are
crawling all over you.
THINK about your life. What factors (biotic or abiotic) play the biggest role in
your life? Explain your answer.
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ECOLOGY STATION #9 – COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS
The Biotic factors of an ecosystem (known as a community) exist in
several different types of relationships that are referred to as
community interactions. These interaction can be thought of in + and -.
+ means that the organism is benefiting from the interaction while –
means that the organism is being harmed in the interaction. An “o”
means neutral -> The organism is not being helped or harmed.
Competition – This is a -/interaction – The two organisms in
this interaction are fighting over a
resource. Since neither organism in
this interaction is getting ALL of the
resource it would like, they are
both being harmed while the
competition interaction occurs.
Predation – This is a +/- interaction. One
organism is getting all the benefit while the
other is being killed. Predator (+) – prey(-)
relationship. One organism kills and eats the
other
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Parasitism – This is a +/- interaction. In this situation the parasitic
organism is getting its food by eating or drinking parts of the other
organism. However, parasites (+) typically do not intentionally kill their
host organism. Reason being is
that the Host organism is more
useful alive than dead since if
the host (-) is alive it providing
food and a habitat for the
parasite. If the host dies, the
parasite is at a great risk of
dying, as well, unless it is able
to find a new host. Example is
tapeworms in human intestines. The worms get a safe place to live, and
an endless food supply. The human receive reduced nutrition from the
food and can have anatomical issues due to the growing tapeworm.
Commensalism – This is a +/o – In this
interaction one organism is getting a
benefit without helping or hurting the
other organism involved. Usually this
occurs when one organism has some trait
that provides an unintended benefit to the
other organism. Example: Birds perching on large mammals. Bird is
protected from predators and has a food source from the insects
typically found flying around the large mammal.
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Mutualism – This is a +/+ interaction. Both organisms involved benefit
from the interaction. In these interactions, the organisms usually work
to maintain the mutually beneficial relationship. An example is the
naturally occurring
bacteria on our skin. The
bacteria physically blocks
other, potentially more
harmful, bacteria from
landing and surviving on
us. Meanwhile, we
provide the bacteria a
safe place to live and
food via our sweat and
oils.
Symbiosis –All of the ones before this are examples of symbiosis.
Symbiosis is the living together in more or less intimate association or
close union of two dissimilar organisms (as in parasitism or
commensalism).
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ECOLOGY STATION #9 – ACTIVITY
NAME ___________________________
Name the type of Community interaction being described. WRITE IN +
and – Values to show the interaction effects.
1. Barnacles create home sites by attaching themselves to whales.
2. Ticks feed on deer blood to the deer’s detriment.
3. The stork uses its saw-like bill to cut up the dead animals it eats. As a result,
the dead animals carcass is accessible to some bees for food and egg laying.
4. Ostriches and gazelles feed next to each other. They both watch for predators
and alert each other to danger. Since the visual abilities of the two species are
different, they each can identify threats the other animal would not as readily
see.
5. Yucca flowers are pollinated by yucca moths. The moths lay their eggs in the
flowers where the larvae hatch and eat some of the developing seeds. Both
species benefit.
6. Hermit crabs live in shells made and then abandoned by snails.
7. A cuckoo may lay its eggs in a warbler’s nest. The cuckoo’s young will displace
the warbler’s young and will be raised by the warbler.
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ECOLOGY STATION #10 - SUCCESSION
Succession is the term used by scientists to describe the predictable
development of an ecosystem, starting from bare earth to climax
community. Every ecosystem has a potential climax community.
CLIMAX COMMUNITY = An ecological community in which populations
of plants or animals remain stable and exist in balance with each other
and their environment. A climax community is the final stage of
succession, remaining relatively unchanged until destroyed by an event
such as fire or human interference.
There are two types of succession.
Primary Succession:
This type of succession is what occurs on land that has never had an
ecological community grow on it before (no soil or seeds present). This
is new land being colonized and eventually growing into a climax
community. An example of this would be a sand dune being colonized
by grasses, which over time will make enough soil to support larger
plant communities,
eventually turning into the
climax community.
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Secondary Succession:
This type of succession occurs after a disaster or major event in the
environment (Fire, landslide, flood, etc.). There was life before the
disaster, so that means life is just regrowing in the area. Secondary
succession is the healing mechanism of the ecosystem. An example
would be an old growth forest is burned to the ground. The scorched
land already has soil built up and seeds that can germinate and provide
new life. So the burnt area will grow weeds, sprout shrubs, and then
finally sprout the slow growing trees to reach the climax community.
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ECOLOGY STATION 10 – ACTIVITY
NAME: __________________________________
In the space below draw an example of primary succession. Be sure to
start with new land and end in a climax community.
In your drawing above, label the stages of development.
In the space below draw and label an example of Secondary Selection.
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