For this project, we were put into groups and we had to pick a species and analyze how humans were impacting it. After researching, we had to come up with a plan on what we could do to help them. To take action on our subject, our group decided to make an Instagram account spreading awareness for the Southern Sea Otter.
Key Concepts:
Ecological succession: the process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time. For our project we studied the succession of the sea otters habitat and its interactions with other animals in that ecosystem. Abiotic factors: a nonliving condition or thing, as climate or habitat, that influences or affects an ecosystem and the organisms in it. The abiotic factors in our ecosystem are rocks, climate, water, sunlight, etc. Biotic factors: A factor created by a living thing or any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism. Biotic factors in our ecosystem are plants, sea otters, fish, etc. trophic level: any class of organisms that occupy the same position in a food chain, as primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. The ecosystem of the ocean has different trophic levels, at the top being predators and at the bottom being producers. 10% rule: when energy is passed in an ecosystem from one trophic level to the next, only ten percent of the energy will be passed on. When otters eat seagrass 10% of the energy is brought into the otter. Carbon cycle: the series of processes by which carbon compounds are integrated in the environment, chiefly involving the incorporation of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through respiration, the decay of dead organisms, and the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon is stored in the ocean and affects life in the ocean ecosystem. nitrogen cycle: the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are integrated in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition. The nitrogen cycle has an affect of the sea turtle's ecosystem. water cycle: the cycle of processes by which water circulates between the earth's oceans, atmosphere, and land, involving precipitation as rain and snow, drainage in streams and rivers, and return to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration. We used this because it occurs in the ecosystem and has a significant impact on the health of the species. climate zones: divisions of the Earth's climates into general climate zones according to average temperatures and average rainfall. The three major climate zones on the Earth are the polar, temperate, and tropical zones. Ecological Succession: Is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. Due to global warming the environment in the ocean is changing, forcing many species to change. Symbiosis: interaction between two different organisms living in close physical association, typically to the advantage of both. The sea otter has many interactions with other plant and animal life in its ecosystem. Niche: a comfortable or suitable position in life. Sea grass for the sea otter. Autotroph/heterotroph: Most autotrophes make their "food" through photosynthesis using the energy of the sun. Heterotrophs cannot make their own food, so they must eat or absorb it. Chemosynthesis is used to produce food using the chemical energy stored in inorganic molecules. Carrying Capacity: the number of people, other living organisms, or crops that a region can support without environmental degradation. Climate/weather: The difference between Weather and Climate is a measure of time. Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time. independent/dependent-A density dependent factor occurs only when the population reaches a certain level. independent factors are not affected by the density of the population. photosynthesis: the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct. The plants the sea otter consumes perform cellular respiration. cellular respiration: A process where cells take in carbon, water, and oxygen and turning it into water carbon dioxide and usable energy called ATP. Both animals and plant respirate. population: a community of animals, plants, or humans among whose members interbreeding occurs. The population that the sea otter consists of fish, sea grass, sharks, etc. biomes: a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat. The ocean is the sea otters biome.
Our Project:
Reflection:
Overall, this project went fairly well. The work was distributed evenly but not everyone delivered. Our peaks were being able to get things done quickly and thoroughly. However, the pit of this was that we had less people doing the work. The work was completed to an efficient level though. I learned that sometimes you have to pick up the slack when others aren't doing their work. I think some of the other working member(s) in the project learned that as well. Another peak was that we were able to present our information well. H