Ronnie, Hollie, Reise, and Heather. Science 9-2 PBL

Part A- Diversity What area of the earth do we find the most diversity The tropical rain forests and close to the equator because of the heat and nutrition. Why are coral reefs called “the amazons of the ocean”? It’s called the Amazon of the ocean because it’s the most diverse part of oceans and round the equator What does interdependence mean? Interdependence: when other species depend on the other species What is the most important example of interdependence found in nature? Food webs and food chains What does biodiversity mean? Variety of species and ecosystems on earth and the ecological process of which they are made. Explain the 5 components of biodiversity 1. Community diversity: population of different species living within a community 2. Species diversity: there are many variations of particular species 3. Genetic diversity: there is a genetic or variety material in all living things 4. Ecosystem diversity: there are many different types of ecosystems, such as marshes, lakes, streams, and forests. 5. Species distribution diversity: plant and animal species are not evenly distributed throughout the various ecosystems on earth

The Coral Reefs-

Part A- Continued What is symbiosis and explain 3 different types of it. (example of each) - Symbiosis: the relationship between two different species. Mutualism: when both species benefit. ex: bee’s and flowers. Bees get nectar from the flowers to make honey, and the flowers get pollinated 2. Parasitism: when one benefits and the other gets harmed. ex: apes and bugs. The Apes get a source of food and get cleaned and the bugs die. 3. Commensalism: one benefits and the Other does get harmed or benefits. ex: birds nest in a tree. Birds get to make homes to lay their eggs and the tree provides for them and the tree neither gets harmed or benefits. What is a niche? A niche is described as the role of an organism in the ecosystem. It has to do with, what it eats, what eats it, habit, nesting sites, etc. Why are niches important? Niches are important, because they allow species to exist in the same location. Do niches stay the same? No, they may change in their lifetime; they Can change depending on their environment and also as the organisms and species inter-relate. Niches environment. (Name an ecosystem and three organisms and name their niche.) Deer- its niche- eats bugs and berries making them not over populate. Worms-its niche- it makes the ground soft and fertilizes it so plants can grow. Birds- its niche- makes nest in trees and eats worms so they don’t over populate.

Ex, of Mutualism, Paratism, and Commonism

Part A- Continued Give two examples of how a niche changes in its lifetime. 1. A tree- how its niche changes- it starts out as a small plant just giving oxygen, but as it grows in to habitat for small animals. 2. A flower- how its niche changes- its starts out as a seed and could be edible, but if its not eaten then it grows in to a plant and it gets pollinated and grows bigger. What is resource partitioning and give an example to help explain this? It happens when two or more species Niches overlap each other, they then figure out how to make there niche smaller so it is no longer a competition. Ex- when to monkeys eats the same fruit, one of the monkeys will eat at the top of the trees and the other will eat at the bottom so their niches can co-exist. What are two reasons that variability is important in an ecosystem? It is important in case the environment changes, or if it changes often. If there is variation between species then if the environment changes then that species will most likely be able to adapt. If they were all the exact same then they would most likely die, because they wouldn’t be able to adapt. Explain what Natural Selection is and how it relates to variability. Natural selection is when nature selects which individuals to reproduce. It relates to variability because if the animals are all the same and a change happens in the environment, they will all die. With the little changes in species, some could live.

Part A- Continued Describe why variation is important in helping organisms deal with change in the environment. Variation is important with organisms because it allows animals to survive in an environment. It’s also a healthier environment because of the differences.

Part B- What is natural selection and explain how it relates to variation and dealing with change in the environment… why is it important? Natural selection is when nature selects individuals. This relates to variation because variations are the little changes in species. Changes in the environment impact these species. Some could die because they are not able to adapt, but the ones that change, will survive. Explain the differences between heritable and non-heritable traits, & examples. Heritable traits are passed on from generation to generation, and passed on through sexual reproduction. Ex. Eye color, skin color, hair type. Non- heritable traits are acquired or learned, and are not passed on from generation to generation. Ex. Artistic skills, playing an instrument. Explain how environment can play a role in the development of characteristics, and examples on how environment changes them. Some characteristics can be influenced by the environment. Ex. Change in color of your skin through the summer due to sun exposure (suntan or burn). Height and weight influenced by diet, also. Explain the difference between discrete and continuous variation, and examples. Discrete variation is an either/or characteristic (‘either’ this form ‘or’ that form). An example is if your earlobes are attached or not. Continuous is when there are many variations in characteristics. An example is, shoe size, height, and weight

Part B- Continued Explain what asexual reproduction means and explain the four types with examples. Asexual reproduction is when one parent and offspring are identical. The parent makes an exact copy of itself. The four types are: - Binary Fission- only single celled organisms; the cell splits into two. Examples are bacteria and algae. Budding- parent produces a bud which detaches and becomes self-sufficient. Examples are coral and yeast. Spore- spores are similar to seeds, and are produced by the division of cells in the parent. One parent may produce many spores. Each spore turns into a new individual identical to the parent. Examples are fungi and mold. - Vegetative- the reproduction of a plant not involving a seed. This includes cuttings, runners, suckers and tubers. Examples are potatoes and strawberries. Give a scientific explanation of sexual reproduction. Sexual reproduction is the creation of a new organism by combining the genetic material of two organisms. What special cells are involved in sexual reproduction? The special cells involved in sexual reproduction are called gametes. Animals, what are the specialized cells called that are involved in sexual reproduction and what do they produce when they combine? What is formed? In animals, sexual reproduction involves male gametes called sperm cells, and female gametes called egg cells. They produce a zygote when they combine, which changes into an embryo. The embryo develops into a multicellular organism.

Part B- Continued Briefly describe how sexual reproduction works in plants. Use the proper names of the parts. Sexual reproduction in plants involves gamete, that in turn form a zygote, which then forms an embryo. Male gametes (pollen) move from anther to stigma. They then travel down the stigma to the ovule (female gamete). The male and female gametes = a zygote. Then finally an embryo. The embryo develops inside a seed, which helps protect it. Briefly explain the three types of sexual reproduction in plants- Cross pollination- pollen from one plant combines with the ovule of another. Resulting in a plant not identical to either parent. Self pollination- pollen from same plant combines with ovule of same plant. Resulting in a plant identical to the parent(s) Artificial pollination- flowers/ plants are pollinated by man. Give one major advantage and disadvantage of both sexual and asexual reproduction. - Asexual: Advantage: Can produce many organisms fast, which would be an advantage in an environment that barely changes. Disadvantage: All individual organisms are the same, which would be a disadvantage if the environment changes. They would all die. - Sexual: Advantage: Provides lots of variation. Disadvantage: It takes too much energy out of the plants/ animals, and it is a slow process. They won't produce many very fast. What are some examples of organisms that can reproduce both asexually and sexually. Many plants, sponges, and yeasts can reproduce both sexually and asexually. Aphids are a non plant species that can reproduce both ways.