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Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Skills Practice Lab
MATH/GRAPHING
Factors That Influence Ecosystems
Ecosystems are communities of plants, animals, and other organisms that live and
interact with each other and with nonliving environmental factors. The non-living
factors, or conditions, include temperature, precipitation, altitude, and latitude,
among others. These factors play an important role in determining what types of
vegetation can live in an ecosystem.
Latitude, for example, has a strong influence on an area’s temperature,
resulting in climates such as polar, tropical, and temperate. These climates
determine different natural biomes that have characteristic species of plants.
However, a careful look at a map reveals that ecosystems existing at the same
latitude of ten have different climates. Why? In this laboratory activity, you will
hypothesize how other nonliving factors influence the characteristics of
ecosystems within the same latitude range. Then you will analyze and graph data
from different areas of the United States to test your hypotheses.
OBJECTIVES
Hypothesize how precipitation and altitude affect the types of vegetation in an
ecosystem.
Graph and analyze ecosystem data to confirm or refute your hypotheses.
MATERIALS
• colored pencils
• metric ruler
Procedure
1. Form two hypotheses—one that relates differences in ecosystem vegetation to
rainfall and another that relates differences in ecosystem vegetation to altitude.
Complete the following sentences to form your two hypotheses.
• Ecosystem distribution is related to precipitation; regions that receive large
amounts of precipitation are wet and therefore________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
• Ecosystem distribution is related to altitude; regions at high elevations are
cold and therefore_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Biomes
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
Look at the data table. The table lists major U.S. cities and weather stations
between 36° north and 41° north latitude. It also lists the altitude, average annual
precipitation, and ecosystem for each location. On the graph/grid on the following
page, use one of your colored pencils to plot altitude for each location using the
left-hand y-axis. Connect the data points. Plot the precipitation data in another
color, using the right-hand y-axis, and connect the points. You may also find it
useful to label the location names on the grid above your data points. Your
completed line graph will help you interpret any relation among rainfall, altitude
and biome type.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LOCATIONS ACROSS THE U.S.
Distance from
San Francisco
(miles)
Altitude above
sea level (feet)
Average
rainfall (in./yr.)
San Francisco,
CA
Sacramento,
CA
Donner Pass,
CA
Reno, NV
Salt Lake
City, UT
Loveland
Pass, CO
Denver, CO
0
250
23
100
26
19
200
7,000
69
250
650
4,400
4,200
8
16
900
11,000
38
950
5,325
12
Topeka, KS
1,450
925
34
St. Louis, MO
1,750
567
37
Cincinnati,
OH
Washington,
D.C.
2,100
488
40
2,500
9
39
Natural
biome or
ecosystem
redwood
forest
grassland
coniferous
forest
cool desert
cool desert
coniferous
forest
short grass
prairie
tall grass
prairie
broadleaf
forest
broadleaf
forest
broadleaf
forest
Analysis
1. Identifying Patterns Which types of ecosystems occur in areas of high and low
precipitation?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
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Biomes
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
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Biomes
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
2. Examining Data Is there a trend in the amount of precipitation from Denver to
San Francisco or from Denver to Washington, D.C.? If so, describe it
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
3. Analyzing Results How do mountain ranges affect precipitation? Give an
example that supports your answer.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Conclusions
4. Evaluating Data Which is the more important factor in determining an area’s
ecosystem, the amount of precipitation or altitude? Is there an interaction
between these two factors? Explain.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
5. Defending Conclusions Does the data support or refute your hypothesesabout
the effects of precipitation and altitude on an ecosystem type?
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ `
__________________________________________________________________
6. Applying Conclusions Refer to the world biome map in your textbook.
Examine the ecosystem patterns of the Eurasian continent. What can you infer
about the distribution of rainfall in Eurasia?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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Biomes
TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Skills Practice Lab
MATH/GRAPHING
Factors That Influence Ecosystems
Teacher Notes
TIME REQUIRED One 45-minute period
SKILLS ACQUIRED
Classifying
Communicating
Identifying patterns
Inferring
Organizing and analyzing data
Predicting
RATING
Teacher Prep–1
Student Set-Up–1
Concept Level–2
Clean Up–1
THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Ask Questions Students are prompted to ask questions about the data as they prepare to
construct their graphs and when they use the data to classify the biomes or ecosystems.
Test the Hypothesis Students test their hypotheses as they analyze their graphs.
Analyze the Results Students analyze the results of this laboratory activity when they
answer Analysis questions 1–3.
Draw Conclusions Students draw conclusions about the data presented in this
laboratory activity when they answer the Conclusions questions.
Communicate the Results Students communicate information as they formulate their
hypotheses, construct their graphs, and answer the questions at the end of this activity.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Students can work individually or in pairs to complete this activity. Before
students begin this activity, make sure they understand the difference between the
terms ecosystem and biome. An ecosystem is all the living and nonliving factors
that affect an organism. A biome is a major region that is characterized by its
climate, soil type(s), and the dominant plants, animals, and other organisms that
live there. A biome is made up of many individual ecosystems.
Have students use their textbooks to review, if necessary, the definitions of the
terms used in this activity. Some students may need assistance in plotting the data
given in the table. If so, copy the transect grid onto an overhead transparency and
use it to plot all of the data for San Francisco and at least one other
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
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TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Factors that Influence Ecosystems continued
city. Use different colors for the elevation and precipitation values. Remind
students to include a key on their graphs that identifies the two sets of data.
Challenge interested students to add several more cities (within the same latitude
band) from other countries to the graphs and explain any variations.
When students have finished the activity, lead a discussion that will enable
them to conclude that rainfall and elevation are independent of latitude, while
temperature is not.
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
72
Biomes
TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Skills Practice Lab
MATH/GRAPHING
Factors That Influence Ecosystems
Ecosystems are communities of plants, animals, and other organisms that liveand
interact with each other and with nonliving environmental factors. The non-living
factors, or conditions, include temperature, precipitation, altitude, and latitude,
among others. These factors play an important role in determining whattypes of
vegetation can live in an ecosystem.
Latitude, for example, has a strong influence on an area’s temperature,
resulting in climates such as polar, tropical, and temperate. These climates
determine different natural biomes that have characteristic species of plants.
However, ac are ful look at a map reveals that ecosystems existing at the same
latitude of ten have different climates. Why? In this laboratory activity, you will
hypothesize how other nonliving factors influence the characteristics of
ecosystems within the same latitude range. Then you will analyze and graph data
from different areas of the United States to test your hypotheses.
OBJECTIVES
Hypothesize how precipitation and altitude affect the types of vegetation in an
ecosystem.
Graph and analyze ecosystem data to confirm or refute your hypotheses.
MATERIALS
• colored pencils
• metric ruler
Procedure
1. Form two hypotheses—one that relates differences in ecosystem vegetation to
rainfall and another that relates differences in ecosystem vegetation to altitude.
Complete the following sentences to form your two hypotheses.
• Ecosystem distribution is related to precipitation; regions that receive large
amounts of precipitation are wet and therefore _______________________.
Hypotheses may vary. Most students will probably state that ecosystems that___
receive more precipitation will support more vegetation.____________________
• Ecosystem distribution is related to altitude; regions at high elevations are
cold and there fore _____________________________________________
Hypotheses may vary. Most students will probably state that ecosystems a thigh
altitudes will support little vegetation.____________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
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Biomes
TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
Look at the data table. The table lists major U.S. cities and weather stations
between 36° north and 41° north latitude. It also lists the altitude, average annual
precipitation, and ecosystem for each location. On the graph/grid on the following
page, use one of your colored pencils to plot altitude for each location using the
left-hand y-axis. Connect the data points. Plot the precipitation data in an other
color, using the right-hand y-axis, and connect the points. You may also find it
useful to label the location names on the grid above your data points. Your
completed line graph will help you interpret any relation among rainfall, altitude,
and biome type.
CHARACTERISTICS OF LOCATIONS ACROSS THE U.S.
Distance from
San Francisco
(miles)
Altitude above
sea level (feet)
Average
rainfall (in./yr.)
San Francisco,
CA
Sacramento,
CA
Donner Pass,
CA
Reno, NV
Salt Lake
City, UT
Loveland
Pass, CO
Denver, CO
0
250
23
100
26
19
200
7,000
69
250
650
4,400
4,200
8
16
900
11,000
38
950
5,325
12
Topeka, KS
1,450
925
34
St. Louis, MO
1,750
567
37
Cincinnati,
OH
Washington,
D.C.
2,100
488
40
2,500
9
39
Natural
biome or
ecosystem
redwood
forest
grassland
coniferous
forest
cool desert
cool desert
coniferous
forest
short grass
prairie
tall grass
prairie
broadleaf
forest
broadleaf
forest
broadleaf
forest
Analysis
1. Identifying Patterns Which types of ecosystems occur in areas of high and low
precipitation?
Forests are more common in areas of high rainfall, and deserts are more_______
common in areas of low-rainfall_________________________________________
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
74
Biomes
TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
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Biomes
TEACHER RESOURCE PAGE
Name ______________________________ Class __________________ Date __________________
Factors That Influence Ecosystems continued
2. Examining Data Is there a trend in the amount of precipitation from Denver to
San Francisco or from Denver to Washington, D.C.? If so, describe it.
Yes, there is a trend from Denver to Washington, D.C. Rainfall in creases______
toward the Atlantic Coast. Mountains interrupt the trend near San Francisco.__
3. Analyzing Results How do mountain ranges affect precipitation? Give an
example that supports your answer.
Rainfall increases on the windward side, or the side facing the wind, of mountain
ranges. Donner and Loveland passes are good examples of this effect. Locations_
on the leeward sides of mountains (the side not facing the wind) have lower_____
rainfall.______________________________________________________________
Conclusions
4. Evaluating Data Which is the more important factor in determining an are
area's ecosystem, the amount of precipitation or altitude? Is there an inter
action between these two factors? Explain.
Both factors are very important. Areas at higher elevations (Donner Pass) tend_
to have forest ecosystems unless there is not enough rainfall, in which case the__
area is a desert (Salt Lake City)._________________________________________
5. Defending Conclusions Does the data support or refute your hypotheses about
the effects of precipitation and altitude on an ecosystem type?
The data supports a hypothesis stating that precipitation nurtures ecosystems__
with lush vegetation. The data does not clearly support or refute a hypothesis___
stating that increasing altitude negatively affects vegetation._________________
6. Applying Conclusions Refer to the world biome map in your
textbook.Examine the ecosystem patterns of the Eurasian continent. What can
you infer about the distribution of rainfall in Eurasia?
Eurasian ecosystems tend to have temperate deciduous forests near the east and
west coasts of the continent. As one travels toward the interior, forests give way_
to grassland, and grassland gives way to desert. This implies that the amount of_
rainfall decreases as one moves from coastal regions toward interior areas._____
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Holt Environmental Science
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Biomes