Download Ecology_coaches workshop

Ecology - 2017 (B & C)
NY coaches meeting
J.D. Lewis
NY test writer
@astorialis
Ecology events and rotation

In for 2017 and 2018

Other events in this rotation:
 Water
quality
 Green generation

Focus is on principles of ecology related to terrestrial
ecosystems:
 2017:
tundra, taiga and forests
 2018: deserts and grasslands
Objectives

Demonstrate knowledge
of basic principles of
ecology, terrestrial biomes
and human impacts on
ecosystems

Emphasis on process
skills related to ecology,
including data, graph and
diagram analysis
(2001)
Event components

Three main areas, weighted roughly equally

I. Principles of Ecology

II. Terrestrial Ecosystems:
 2017
- tundra, taiga and forests
 basic concepts of biodiversity

III. Human Impacts on Ecosystems
Event parameters

Teams of up to two

Each team may bring:
 single
8.5” x 11” two-sided page with information in any
form from any source
 up to two non-programmable, non-graphing calculators

Format: exam
 50
minutes
General principles of ecology

Ecology: how organisms interact with one another
and with their environment

Environment: living and non-living components
 abiotic:
non-living component or physical factors as soil,
rainfall, sunlight, temperatures
 biotic: living component
(2001)
Ecological organization


Can be an individual,
population, community,
ecosystem or the biosphere
Each smaller system is a
subset of the next larger
system
Ecology of populations

Properties of populations

Patterns of distribution and density

Intra-specific competition

Population dynamics

Growth and regulation

Altering population growth

Extinction, migration, selection

Human impacts
Ecology of populations

Population dynamics includes density dependent and
independent factors, carrying capacity, doubling time,
growth curves and calculating population growth
(2001)
Ecology of communities

Open vs. closed communities

Species abundance and diversity

Species interactions:
 e.g.,

be able to differentiate between symbioses and mutualisms
Food webs and trophic pyramids
 food
chains and food webs
 number, biomass and energy pyramids
Food webs and trophic pyramids

Be able to diagram food webs and predict what would
happen if a trophic level were reduced or increased

Understand and apply the different types of trophic
pyramids
(2001)
Nutrient cycling

Water, P, N, C

In addition to knowing the basics, be able to predict
adaptations for the rates of nutrient cycling in tundras,
taigas and forests
(2001)
C only - state and nationals

Life history strategies, including age structure, survival
curves, life tables, succession and R vs. K strategies

Questions on these topics likely will be based on
graphs, tables and similar
(2001)
Tundras, taigas and forests

Basic differences in abiotic and
biotic factors that differentiate
tundras, taigas and forests

Be able to apply the basic
principles of ecology to each of
these systems

As mentioned, understand
adaptations that reflect each type
of biome
(2001)
Biodiversity

Combines species richness and species abundance
 indices
differ in the weight they place on richness vs.
abundance and on common vs. rare species

Types include genetic, species and ecological diversity

Levels include alpha, beta and gamma
(2001)
C only - state and nationals

Questions will evaluate understanding of the
mechanisms that regulate biodiversity (e.g., selection)
(2001)
Human impacts

Will have a fair amount of overlap with Green
Generation, reflecting the specific topic areas

Will address effects of climate change, invasive
species, acid rain, erosion and pollution

Be able to apply understanding of pros and cons of
alternative energy

Understand the goals of
conservation and
mechanisms for application

Compare reclamation
vs. reintroduction
(2001)
C only - state and nationals

Case studies!
(2001)
Tips

Learn all the vocabulary words in the rules

Use the topics as a study guide, as well as guide to
relative weight of each area

Because it will be exam-based, divide and conquer
may work with the right pair of students

For part 1, questions will reflect in part recent and
current topics relevant to NY and the NE US

Read Science, Nature, Science Times and similar
(2001)
Skills

Just to reiterate, the challenge focuses on process skills
in the areas of defining variables, forming hypotheses,
analyzing data and presenting data

Critical thinking skills…

Good math skills are key

Teams should combine skills reading graphs and
tables

With only one sheet allowed, students will need to be
able to function basically without notes
(2001)
Scoring

High score wins…

Legibility matters

Using correct units is critical
 no
units = partial credit

No penalty for guessing incorrectly

Tiebreakers identified in the directions
(2001)