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Abiotic Stations Answer Sheet
Station 1: Lab Simulation: How do organisms react to changes in abiotic factors?
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/CT08/CT08.html
Read the background information and follow the directions for the virtual lab. Fill out the data table below and
answer the following questions as you are working:
1. How did the fish’s breathing rate change as the temperature changed?
2. At what temperature did the fist need the most oxygen? How do you know?
3. At what temperature was the fish’s metabolism the highest? How do you know?
4. What do you think happens to the fish’s behavior in cold climates during the winter? Explain your
answer.
5. What are abiotic factors? Identify at least three abiotic factors in the environment.
6. Why is it important for oganisms to be able to adapt to change in abiotic factors?
Station 2: Contamination of Public Water Supply Article
1. What are the pharmaceuticals that have been found in Lake Michigan?
2. How did the pharmaceuticals get into the water in Lake Michigan?
3. How hazardous are the pharmaceuticals to humans who get there water from the Grand Rapids water
filtration plant?
4. How does this affect the shellfish that live in the waters of Lake Michigan?
Station 3: Growing low-oxygen zones in oceans worry scientists Article
1. What is hypoxia? Why is this occurrence harmful for the oceans and all marine life?
2. What is causing these low oxygen “dead zones” to be forming in the various oceans? Is this caused by
man or natural ?
3. How does a natural low oxygen zone form? (Waters in Northwest continental shelf is an example of this)
4. What organisms are most at risk from the low oxygen levels in the water?
Station 4: Video: Effects of Global Warming on Hawaii
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xpbg73_the-effects-of-global-warming-on-hawaii-s-parks-and-waters_tech
http://videos.huffingtonpost.com/the-effects-of-global-warming-on-hawaiis-parks-and-waters-517286549
1. What a biotic consequence of global warming in Hawaii’s oceans?
2. What are two abiotic changes that occur in the waters of Hawaii due to global warming?
3. Identify one way that increasing temperature is causing a change in the terrestrial ecosystems.
Station 5: Video: Ocean Acidification Affecting Marine Food Chains
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/science/120807/ocean-acidification-affecting-marine-food-chains-video-0
1. What would you use to measure the ocean water samples to see if they are becoming more acidic? If the
pH of the ocean water sample was found to be 7.0 would that surprise you?
2. What is the main effect of ocean acidification on shellfish? How does this alter the marine food chains?
3. Specifically, what is causing the rise in ocean acid levels?