Werribee Open Range Zoo This Thursday we will be visiting Werribee Open range Zoo to: Investigating Ecosystems Investigate the ecosystem at the Zoo (Unit 2, AOS 2, Outcome 2) Learn how to sample from an ecosystem Reproduction Learn about the behavioural and structural adaptations of various animals that lead to reproduction (Unit 2, AOS 1, Outcome 1)

About Werribee Open Range Zoo.. Werribee Open Range Zoo represents an Savanna neither typically Australian or African in; Temperature Vegetation Wildlife – native and introduced They are also running some conservation initiatives e.g. Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Golden Sun Moth

What we will need to know before we go for Investigating Ecosystems? What are abiotic and biotic factors? What are producers? What are primary, secondary and tertiary consumers? What is succession? What do the terms indigenous, native and introduced mean? What is an adaptation? How are ecosystems sampled?

1. Abiotic & Biotic Factors Abiotic Factors – non living Biotic Factors - Living

Living or Biotic Animals Plants Insects Birds Fungi Bacteria

Non living or Abiotic Temperature Sunlight Soil pH Wind Rock Chemicals Water Topography Clouds Altitude Ice etc

2. What are producers?

3. What are Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Consumers?

4. What is succession?

Succession Succession is the change in an ecosystem over time There are two types of succession: Primary Secondary

Primary Succession Primary succession is when an area is colonized that was bare or devoid of life e.g. newly created land from volcanic eruption

Secondary Succession Secondary succession is when an area is recolonised or changes after an event. This may happen after fire or cultivation of an area.

Climax Community A climax community is when an ecosystem is stable in composition and species abundance. This means a stable ecosystem exists and there is little change, this rarely occurs.

5. What do the terms indigenous, native and introduced mean?

6. Adaptations An adaptation is a change, a structure, behaviour or a function that allows an organisms to survive. There are 3 types Physiological Behavioural Structural

6. Adaptations Physiological – the function allows for a greater chance of survival Behavioural – a behaviour that increases the chance of survival Structural – a structure on the organism that increases the chance of survival.

7. Sampling of Ecosystems Ecosystems can be sampled through Quadrats Transects Mark & recapture

Sampling of Ecosystems Quadrats – measure organisms w/in a square plot Then calculated the population based on the sampling Must decide: Size of quadrat Number of quadrats Placement of quadrats Will not work for highly mobile organisms

Sampling of Ecosystems Useful for surveying changing ecosystems or changes between ecosystems Mark a line, identify and count the organisms present

Sampling of Ecosystems Capture, mark, later recapture and use the marked individuals to help estimate population

African Savanna

Savanna Characteristics Also known as tropical grasslands Grassland with scattered trees and shrubs Canopy is not closed Consist of mainly C4 grasses (Adaptation) Seasonal water availability Often seen as a transitional zone Occur between tropical rainforest and desert biomes

Found Wide band on either side of the equator near tropical rainforests

Temperature Warm climate Dry winter Wet summer – monsoon

African Savanna Animals Herds of grazing and browsing hoofed animals and carnivores Each has a specialised eating habit (Adaptation) different food type or height reduced competition

African Savanna Animals African savannas have the greatest diversity of fauna that only reside in a savanna over 40 species hoofed animals Up to 16 species of browsers and grazers can coexist in one area

Plants Specialised to cope with their conditions Adaptations Long tap root – drought resistant Thick bark – fire resistant Trunk water storage – drought resistant Deciduous trees – drought resistant Defence compounds – herbivory resistant Storage organs e.g. corms and bulbs – drought resistant

Problems Good grazing land for cattle Native species lose land to farmers Over grazing by cattle leads to desert formation