Trophic level

As a result of wolves predating the Elk of Yellowstone, the fauna has been under less pressure and studies have shown that there have been significantly higher levels of growth in some plant species since the reintroduction. For example, it has been shown that Aspen is being browsed significantly less and its population is higher (Ripple et al., 2001) than before the reintroduction and a negative correlation was…

a. Describe the central focus and purpose for the content you will teach in this learning segment. The central focus of this lesson is to help the students understand, how energy flows in an ecosystem and how much energy is transferred by each trophic level. The purpose of the lesson is to help the students realize that energy continuously flows and is recycled throughout an ecosystem. This is important to know because, in future lessons, I would aid in the students’ understanding of their…

pounds. I was lucky enough to observe one of the black vultures expand their wings, and this vulture’s wingspan was roughly 4 feet wide. I based my estimates on the surroundings of the vultures including a fence and vehicle. Black vultures are 3rd trophic level consumers. 2. What is the ecological role or niche of your animal/insect? The major ecological role of the black vulture is a forager (The Cornell lab of Ornithology, 2015). However, at times it can also be hunters (The Cornell lab…

The collapse of kelp at the first trophic level would cause pressure and effects on many species at the higher trophic levels. We can predict that any species that needs kelp for habitat or food could be affected and in turn this would affect linkages throughout the system. For example, certain fish species will be affected by the…

nearby. Surface water is affected by wind currents, while deep ocean water undergoes upwelling, which is caused by the density of water. Abiotic factors which influence the Atlantic Ocean include the light levels, temperature, salinity, density and water movement, and nutrients. The light levels and temperature of the water is dependent on sunlight. Sunlight is needed for photosynthesis to occur and for organisms’ vision (with exceptions). Since the ocean absorbs heat from the sun, which…

ecological components that included behaviour, condition, habitat use, energy intake and inter/intra specific interactions, etc. Accurate description of fish diets and feeding habits also provides the basis for understanding trophic interactions in aquatic food webs. Conceptually, trophic relations of fishes begin with foods and feeding behaviour of individuals or species. Diet composition analysis can be used to evaluate effects of ontogeny, or the establishment of exotic species (Gelwick &…

Systems, or networks of interdependent components, function in cycles, so each component or element of the cycle can influence another. Feedback loops are the increase (positive loops) or decrease (negative loops) in a process or component and the fluctuation of any element of the cycle with affect the whole. Different loops interact within ecosystems and create what is referred to as “dynamic equilibrium.” In an elk population, if there is an abundance of elk being born and continuing to…

Most of these will be discharge from the body as waste products. Plus, energy escapes as metabolic heat when consumers from one trophic level are consumed by consumers from the next. 7. How do ecologists distinguish between gross primary production and net primary production? Gross primary production is the total energy assimilated by primary producers through photosynthesis. Net primary…

1920s (Beschta and Ripple 2010). These wolves produced a trophic cascade, where a higher level of food chain affects a lower one. This cascade began by the wolves causing elk (Cervus elaphus) removal and relocation and led to trees quintupling in size. Seeing the positive effects wolves had on trees, more national parks and states began facilitating this natural ecology management. By initiating a wolf presence in certain areas, a trophic cascade occurs and thus allows for tree recruitment and…

In each ecosystem there are habitats that vary in size depending on the species of population in size. A healthy ecosystem consists of balance between biotic factors and abiotic factors, also known as “non-living” factors which may include and it’s not limited to sunlight, temperature, precipitation, soil, and etc. These abiotic factors help aid the flow of energy among the abiotic factors. The biotic factors which includes “Living Factors”, may include soil, animals, plants, bacteria, and also…