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The Grassland Ecosystem Student Trail Your challenge today at the Zoo is to find examples of the positive ways in which humans and animals co-exist in grasslands of the world. Werribee Open Range Zoo is located within the grassland ecosystem of the Victorian Volcanic Plains. Once covering approximately 1/3 of Victoria, now less than 0.5% of these grasslands remain and are listed as Critically Endangered (EPBC Act 1999). The Wurundjeri that once inhabited the region utilised grasslands for food, medicines and materials. 1. Identify a plant species within the area you are observing. Make a field sketch or take a photo of the plant in the space provided and complete the information. Image Plant name:________________________________________ Record one structural adaptation observed on the plant that enables it to survive the low amount of rainfall that occurs in this region. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Explain how you think this adaptation helps the plant to survive. _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ Describe how this species was utilised by the Wurundjeri that once lived in this region: _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________ 2. You will meet a threatened species of the Victorian Volcanic Plain. Complete the information about this species below: Species name: Conservation status: Threats: Details of conservation measures in place: What can you do to help the species? 1 3. As you move through the grasslands look for evidence of species. In the table below record the species’ requirements for survival (inputs and outputs). Organism Evidence Inputs Outputs Producer or Observed Consumer ? Producer Consumer Producer Consumer 4a. Develop a food web that demonstrates the interaction of organisms within the grassland ecosystem that includes one of the species you listed in the table above. b. On your food web above: • Write the letter “C” above the parts of the food web that would be affected by a cat that has started inhabiting the area. • Write the letter “S” above the parts of the food web that would be affected by a flock of sheep that were brought in to graze in the area. 5. Besides the impact of cats and sheep grazing list two more factors that are responsible for the demise of the grasslands of the Victorian Volcanic Plain 6a. In the space below draw a food web to illustrate the interaction of animals in the African savanna. b. On the food web above write the letter “C” above the organisms that would be affected by the grazing of livestock in the African savanna. 7. Describe a Community Conservation campaign that Zoos Victoria is undertaking to reduce the impact of grazing livestock in the African Savanna. 2