Fundamentals of Ecology
Unit Performance Task
Name___________________________
Date ___________________________
Ecological Disturbance Model
Your Task:
In order to demonstrate your understanding of the complex interactions of the abiotic and biotic factors
within an ecosystem, you will create a model which predicts and justifies what would happen to a
population as a result of a disturbance within its ecosystem. Your model will include predictions and
justifications which describe the effect of changes of both an abiotic factor and biotic factor on a
particular population. You may choose how you present this model:Powerpoint,Prezi,other visual?
Procedure: Abiotic and Biotic Factors
1. Choose a specific plant or animal population (e.g., white tailed deer, red maple, mountain lion, lynx,
gray wolf, moose).
2. Identify and describe the ecosystem in which it lives and the natural resources it relies upon for
survival.
3. Identify and describe one biotic and one abiotic disturbance that would affect the population.
*do not include a human caused disturbance for this part.
4. Predict AND justify how these changes might impact the population.
5. Predict AND justify the resulting changes in the population’s ecosystem.
*You must explore the following types of changes
 Abiotic on biotic
 Biotic on biotic
 Biotic on abiotic
 Abiotic on abiotic
*You may find that one factor effects more than one factor (as a matter of fact, this is the true nature of
ecosystem balance).
Milford Public Schools
High School Biology
Unit 1: Fundamentals of Ecology
Performance Task Rubric
Indicator
Ecosystem &
Disturbance
(Background
)
4
Ecosystem is
identified &
thoroughly
described
Effect of
Changes in
Factors:
Prediction &
Justification
Both biotic and
abiotic
disturbance is
identified &
thoroughly
described
Product
demonstrates a
thorough
understanding of
how organisms
interact with and
rely upon both the
living and nonliving
components of
their environment.
All four types of
changes are
correctly
predicted &
justified:
 Abiotic on
biotic
 Biotic on
biotic
 Biotic on
abiotic
 Abiotic on
abiotic
3
Ecosystem is
identified &
described
Both biotic and
abiotic
disturbance is
identified &
described
2
Ecosystem is
identified but not
described
accurately
Both a biotic and
abiotic
disturbance is
identified but not
described
accurately
Product
Product
demonstrates a
demonstrates a
satisfactory
limited
understanding of
understanding of
how organisms
how organisms
interact with and
interact with and
rely upon both the rely upon both the
living and nonliving and nonliving
living
components of
components of
their environment. their environment.
There may be
Three types of
flaws or minor
changes are
errors in
correctly
reasoning.
predicted &
justified:
Two types of
 Abiotic on changes are
correctly
biotic
predicted &
 Biotic on
justified:
biotic
 Abiotic on
 Biotic on
biotic
abiotic
 Biotic on
 Abiotic on
biotic
abiotic
 Biotic on
abiotic
 Abiotic on
abiotic
1
Ecosystem &
biotic and abiotic
disturbances are
identified, but at
least one is not
described
Product
demonstrates little
to no
understanding of
how organisms
interact with and
rely upon both the
living and nonliving
components of
their environment.
There are
significant errors
in reasoning.
Only one type of
change is
correctly
predicted &
justified:
 Abiotic on
biotic
 Biotic on
biotic
 Biotic on
abiotic
 Abiotic on
abiotic
Quality of
Model
The model is well
organized in its
ability to explain
the ecology
concepts and
exceptionally
attractive in terms
of design, layout,
and neatness.
The model is
organized in its
ability to explain
the ecology
concepts and
attractive in terms
of design, layout
and neatness.
The model is
organized in its
ability to explain
the ecology
concepts OR
attractive in terms
of design, layout
and neatness.
The model is
poorly organized
in its ability to
explain the
ecology concepts
or the model is
poorly designed.