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Virtual Lab: Modeling Ecosystems
How Does Energy Flow through an Ecosystem?
1. Go to the following website: Virtual Lab: Model Ecosystems-McGraw-Hill Higher
Education:
http://glencoe.mheducation.com/sites/0078757134/student_view0/unit1/chapter2/virtual_
labs.html#
2. Follow the instructions on the left side of the screen to build a pyramid for each of the
five ecosystems. (Use the field guide to research any organism of which you are unsure
of their role in the ecosystem.)
3. As you complete each ecosystem, use the pyramids on a separate sheet of paper and list
the organisms at each trophic level of your pyramid. You will have 5 separate pyramids
in all. Include in each:
a. Total energy amounts per trophic level. (You can get this number by clicking on
the Pyramid of Energy Tab)
b. Total number of individuals per trophic level. (You can get this number by
clicking on the Pyramid of Numbers Tab).
4. Questions:
a. Does the population size increase or decrease at higher trophic levels in the
pyramid of numbers of an ecosystem? Explain your answer.
b. Does the amount of energy increase or decrease as you enter higher trophic levels
in the pyramid of energy of an ecosystem? Explain your answer
c. What might happen to an ecological pyramid of numbers in a forest ecosystem if
most of the deer were killed due to hunting by people and disease?
d. What would happen to an ecosystem if the decomposers disappeared?
e. Using one of your pyramids, list two populations that would have a predator-prey
relationship. (Be sure to state which ecosystem you used!)
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f. Select one of your ecosystems and make a data table listing the biotic and abiotic
factors (3 of each) and how they would affect one of the organisms in that
ecosystem.
Ecosystem___________________________________
Organism ___________________________________
Biotic factors
Abiotic Factors
g. Using the same organism, name its habitat and niche.
Habitat ________________________ Niche ____________________________
h. Draw a food chain and a food web for one of your ecosystems.
Food Chain:
Comes from _____________________________________ecosystem.
Food web:
Comes from _____________________________________ecosystem.
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Deciduous Forest Ecosystem
Hot Desert Ecosystem
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Grassland Ecosystem
Antarctic Ocean Shore Ecosystem
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Freshwater Lake Ecosystem