Download Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stability

Station 1: Grassland Ecosystem
STEP 1: Read the paragraph below. Then,
find the section of your classwork paper
that says “Station 1.” In the left side box
draw the food web of the grassland
ecosystem BEFORE the disturbance.
Ecosystem 1
There are many animals that live in the
grassland ecosystem. Grass and small shrubs
are the producers in this biome. Rabbits,
squirrels and mice and are the primary
consumers. Rabbits and mice and eat only
small shrubs from the grassland. The
squirrels eat both grass and small shrubs.
Foxes eat the rabbits and mice.
STEP 2: Disturbance hits! A brush fire destroys all
of the small shrubs in the grassland. Decide what
animals and plants die as a result of this
disturbance (hint: start with the plants that you
know die).
STEP 3: Redraw the food web of grassland ecosystem
after the disturbance on the right side of the paper. Do
not draw any of the plants and animals that were wiped
out by the disease.
Station 2: Rainforest
Ecosystem
STEP 1: Read the paragraph
below. Then, find the section of
your classwork paper that says
“Station 2.” In the left side box
draw the food web of the
rainforest ecosystem BEFORE
the disturbance.
Ecosystem 2
Tropical rainforests are the most diverse biome in the world and there
are many connections in between species. There are many
producers that live in the rainforest, including orchids, banana trees,
the coconut tree and bamboo. The primary consumers are the
macaw (bird), fruit bats, monkeys and insects. The macaw and the
fruit bats eat orchids and banana trees. The monkeys and insects eat
bamboo, banana trees and coconut trees. Pythons and jaguars are
secondary consumers. Pythons eat macaws and fruit bats. Jaguars
eat macaws, monkeys and insects.
STEP 2: DISEASE hits! A disease wipes out all small
shrubs and trees (both coconut and banana). Decide
what animals and plants die as a result of this
disturbance (hint: start with the plants that you know die).
STEP 3: Redraw the food web of Rainforest Ecosystem
after the disturbance on the right side of the paper. Do
not draw any of the plants and animals that were wiped
out by the disease.
Station 3: Biodiversity and
Ecosystem Stability
Directions: Answer the questions on the section of
your classwork sheet labeled “Station 3.” Use the
food webs that you made in Station 1 and 2 to answer
these questions. Don’t forget to THINK!!!
1. How many species are in the grassland ecosystem BEFORE the
brush fire?
2. How many species are in the grassland ecosystem AFTER the
brush fire?
3. How many species were lost in the grassland ecosystem
because of the brush fire?
4. How many species are in the rainforest ecosystem BEFORE the
disease?
5. How many species are in the rainforest ecosystem AFTER the
disease?
6. How many species were lost in the rainforest ecosystem
because the disease hit?
7. Which ecosystem started with the largest biodiversity?
8. Which ecosystem ended with the largest biodiversity?
9. Which ecosystem is more stable?
10.
In a complete sentence (or two), explain why one
ecosystem is more stable than the other.
***When you are finished: take a break. Chill.
Station 4: Summary Writing
(Medicine)
Directions: Read the paragraphs titled
“Biodiversity” and “Medicine.”
Write a 1-2 sentence summary of the “Biodiversity”
paragraph in the section of your classwork sheet
labeled “Station 4.”
Then, write a 1-2 sentence summary of the
“Medicine” paragraph, too.
WRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Station 5: Summary Writing
(People)
Directions: Read the paragraphs titled
“Ecosystems” and “People.”
Write a 1-2 sentence summary of the “Ecosystems”
paragraph in the section of your classwork sheet
labeled “Station 4.”
Then, write a 1-2 sentence summary of the “People”
paragraph, too.
WRITE IN YOUR OWN WORDS.
Station 6: Unit Test Practice
Directions: Answer the questions on the section of
your classwork sheet labeled “Station 6.” Don’t forget
to THINK!!!
Modified True/False. If the statement is true, write “True.” If the statement is false, write “False” AND re-write the
statement to make it true.
11) One of the benefits of biodiversity is that we may discover cures for many diseases in plants.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
12) Ecosystems with high biodiversity are more stable than ecosystems with low biodiversity.
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13) If an ecosystem has low biodiversity, and one species goes extinct, then the ecosystem will not change very
much.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Short answer. Answer the following questions in complete sentences.
14) Coniferous forests change more when a disease hits than when that same disease hits a deciduous forest.
What does this observation tell us about which type of forest has greater biodiversity?
Use the following paragraph to answer questions 15-16.
There are many tall trees in the rainforest of South America. The trees receive much sunlight at the equator,
growing tall. These trees provide food and shelter for the monkeys, who swing from their branches and eat
their fruit. The trees are also good for the leopards, which climb the trees and eat the monkeys. Soyex, a
multi-national farming company, wants to cut down all of the trees in a 30 square mile area of the rainforest
to plant soybeans.
15) How would cutting down the trees affect the biodiversity of the rainforest ecosystem?
16) Would the ecosystem be more or less stable after the drilling? Explain WHY in at least two complete
sentences. Describe what happens to all of the organisms in the rainforest ecosystem, and use the word
“biodiversity.”