3-1 Assessment Essential Questions: What is ecology and why is it important to learn about? How is life organized into different levels of complexity?

Individual Population Community Ecosystem Biome biosphere 1. List the six different levels of organization that ecologists study, in order from smallest to largest. Individual Population Community Ecosystem Biome biosphere

2. Describe the three methods of ecological research. Observing: using senses to gather info Experimenting: testing hypotheses in a lab or out in natural environment. Modeling: making simulations of ecological phenomena (things that happen). Example: computer models of climate change.

3. Identify two ways in which you interact every day with each of the three parts of the biosphere: land, water, and air. Land: walk on it, live on it, eat food grown on it, bury garbage in it. Water: drink it, bathe in it, clean with it, eat food grown with it. Air: breathe it, fly in it, activities depend on weather, climate. The burden of thirst: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/04/water-slaves/johnson-photography

The Burden of Thirst…. To understand what it’s like to carry 5 gallons of water 5 miles…… Carry a 5 gallon bucket of water to the back of the room and back (45 ft. one way) Now do that 58 more times. Every day in 90° heat for the rest of your life….

4. Suppose you wanted to know if the water in a certain stream is safe to drink. Which ecological method(s) would you choose, and why? Experimenting. Do chemical tests on water

5. Give an example of an ecological phenomenon that could be studied by modeling. Explain why modeling would be useful. Climate change. Global weather patterns too big and complicated to experiment with in lab.

How Do Climate Models Work? Climate model = computer program mostly made up of mathematical equations. Equations describe how atmospheric temperature, air pressure, winds, water vapor, clouds, and precipitation all respond to solar heating of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Also included are equations describing how “greenhouse” gases (water vapor, clouds, carbon dioxide, and methane) act as a blanket over the atmosphere. Equation computations are made at individual gridpoints on a three-dimensional grid covering the Earth

You can make computer visualizations of how these processes evolve as the model is run on the computer…. This particular image shows sea surface temperatures, near-surface winds, and sea ice concentrations in one of the NCAR models at some point during a run of the model on a supercomputer. Note the model does not have an actual physical shape in the computer…it is just a long series of computations http://www.drroyspencer.com/2009/07/how-do-climate-models-work/

Individual – a dead crow Alternative Assessment: In a table, provide examples of the ecological levels where you live – individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems – that could be studied by ecologists. Individual – a dead crow Population – crow population in Mountlake Terrace Community – crows, squirrels, trees Ecosystem – local forest (living & non-living parts) Biome – NW coniferous forest

What is ecology and why is it important to learn about? Ecology = study of how living things interact with their environments. Helps us understand how we are affecting our environment. Helps us understand how all animals, plants, etc. are interconnected and interdependent.

Coniferous Forest Biome

Grassland Biome

Desert Biome

Tundra Biome

World Biomes tundra deciduous forest desert chaparral taiga rain forest desert scrub alpine grasslands savannah