Do Now! 1. Copy the objective. 2. Create a list of the towns that border or are near Montville, NJ. Ecologists define a community as a group of populations that occupy the same given area at a given time.

Community Interactions A lab illustrating the Predator-Prey Relationship

Community Interactions Interactions among populations , along with the abiotic factors, shape the ecosystem Types of interactions include: Competition When populations compete for food, space, or light called interspecific competition When organisms within the population also compete for food, space resources called intraspecific competition Predation Symbiosis = a “relationship” between two or more populations Relationship developed over time Types include: Mutualism – both benefit Ex. Clownfish and Sea Anemone, Lichen, Protozoan in the Gut of a Termite Commensalism – one benefit while other isn’t affected Ex. Barnacles on belly of Whale Parasitism – one benefits at the expense of another Ex. Dog and tick

Island Royale National Park Click on the above link and observe the abiotic and biotic factors of this ecosystem. Listen and learn about the special features about this national park

Predation One type of organism consumes another type for food, called predator Predator does not need to be an animal Prey is the organism consumed Predator-Prey Simulation Website

Predator and Prey Lab Question: How do the numbers of predators affect the number of prey? Claim: The population size of one type affects the population size of another. The wolf and moose population in Isle Royale National Park has changed over time. Analysis: Use Population Size for the moose and the wolf population at given times in a given area Use the information on the data tables to support the claim

Data Tables: Year Number of Moose 1960 600 1965 750 1970 1600 1975 1250 1980 900 1985 1300 1990 1500 1995 2500 2000 500 2005 800 2010 Year Number of Wolves 1960 20 1965 18 1970 10 1975 40 1980 50 1985 15 1990 12 1995 21 2000 14 2005 30 2010 25

Year

A Bit of Info about the Wolves and the Moose For over 50 years researchers from Michigan Technological University have been studying the relationship between wolves and moose on Isle Royale, located in the middle of Lake Superior. This long term study continues to surprise us with new discoveries on how the natural world works. Hear the latest news from Assistant Professor John Vucetich, and learn more about why the fate of Isle Royale wolves may be in jeopardy. Wolf-Moose Relations Study The Wolves and Moose of Royale Island 2012 Island Royale Wolf Population

Post Lab… What is happening to the moose and wolf population from 1960 to 1970? Look at the moose and wolf population points for 1970, 1975, and 1980. What do you notice about these points? Describe your observations. Explain your observations. Look at your graph again, how are the wolf and moose populations related to each other from 1960-1990? Explain the cause and effect of the population changes your graph is showing. Compare the moose and wolf populations in 1995. Describe what is happening from 1995-2000. Why do you think this occurred? How does the size of the moose population affect the wolf population How does the size of the wolf population affect the moose population? What would be the short term impact on the wolf population if in 1985, there were 200 more moose births than normal, bringing the moose population to 1,500 instead of 1,300?

Factors that Affect a Population’s Size Number of organisms a. Competition for space (territory) b. Competition for food (resources) Disease can spread easily among the individuals Predation – predator or prey too many? Too few? Natural disaster A factor the influences or keeps the population from getting to big is called a “limiting” factor.

Year Wolf Population Deer Population Deer Population Change 1971 10 2,000 +300 1972 12 2,300 +200 1973 16 2,500 -140 1974 22 2,360 -116 1975 28 2,224 -150 1976 24 2,094 +298 1977 21 1,968 +340 1978 18 1,916 +430 1979 19 1,952 +412 1980 1,972 +422 Predation or Starvation?