Ecosystem Dynamics

Ecosystem Dynamics

There are 3 parts to this lab. This lab is worth 40 points.

Part I. (10 points) Watch video Coral Reef Ecosystem 

1. What makes this coral reef an ecosystem? (Hint: give and explain the definition of an ecosystem.)

An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and their interactions with their abiotic environment. The coral reef is an underwater ecosystem which each small circle of coral, or polyp is made up of many coral organisms. The plant cells living inside the coral organisms can collect the energy from sun through photosynthesis to provide oxygen and food to feed the coral organisms, and the polyp forms a compartment of calcium carbonate mineral and hold together to form reefs.  

2. Name at least 2 of the organisms that live around the coral reef.        

parrotfish, sea cucumber, the ruffled sea slug, the long spined sea urchin, and the moray eel

3. Name at least 2 of the abiotic factors necessary for the survival and sustainability of the living organisms in this coral reef ecosystem.

 The abiotic factors necessary for the survival and sustainability of the living organisms in this coral reef ecosystem are the plants, algae, and fish.

4. Give an example of a food chain on the coral reef. Name at least 4 organisms and describe how they are part of a food chain (who is preying on what or whom).

Review Food Chains and Food Webs

Primary Producer                Plankton              Coral algae [pic 1][pic 2][pic 3][pic 4]

Primary Consumer              Polyps                  Spiny blenny         Long spined sea urchin [pic 5]

Secondary Consumer         Parrotfish

Part II. (10 points) Watch video on Decomposers

1. Name one of the ecosystems shown in this video.

Terrestrial ecosystems

1. Name at least 2 of the living organisms named as decomposers in this video.

Fungi and earthworms

1. What is a decomposer?

Decomposer is the organism that eat and digest the world’s waste and can recycle the waste to put organic matter and nutrients back into the topsoil.

4. What is the importance of the decomposers in an ecosystem?

     They are important to the ecosystem because they can break down the waste of the other organisms and return vital nutrients to the soil. If there are no decomposers, the topsoil would become barren, all the dead matter and waste would pile up and the plants will not get enough nutrients to grow.

5. Name at least 2 of the abiotic factors necessary for the survival and sustainability of the decomposers in their ecosystem.

      Minerals such as calcium and phosphates, soil

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