1. Which of the following are biotic factors? List all that apply:
Mind Stretcher
Which of the following are biotic factors? List all that apply:
LEAF
SALT
CORAL
MUSHROOM
TEMPERATURE
DEAD CRICKET
WATER
STICK

2. The Biology song…

3. Alert! Alert! Alert!
You have received an urgent classified memo! Breaking news video… please watch!

5. READ MEMO To: Ecological Specialists at Lovinggood Middle School
To: Ecological Specialists at Lovinggood Middle School
From: Justin Casey Howles, Director of the Space Foundation of the Entire World
CC: Bill Loney, Director of New Generation Initiatives and Molly Cule, Elements Supervisor
Date: Yesterday
Re: Colonization of Enon

6. The Space Foundation has discovered two massive asteroids headed straight for planet Earth. It is expected it will hit planet Earth in the very near future and cause mass destruction.
Recently, the space team on the International Space Station (ISS) has discovered a new planet, Enon, in the Anne Droid solar system. It is believed that this planet contains all the necessary elements for life as we know it. However, no life exists on this planet.

7. We know a little about the planet, but you will need to check to ensure that the planet will in fact sustain life. The content of the air on this planet is 78% nitrogen, 15% oxygen, and 2% carbon dioxide and traces of other gases that are not harmful at the present levels. The planet also contains water which has carved out the landscape of the rocks and minerals and caused a certain amount of erosion creating an inorganic type of soil.

8. The world needs your help! Please use your expertise, cleverness, creativity, and sense of duty to provide a plan to add life to this planet. We are asking you to create one of many sustainable ecosystems that will be necessary to keep life alive. It is our hope, that with your help, we will be able to colonize this planet and save the human race.

9. Director/Facilitator
You have 2 minutes to choose your roles in your group of 3 Name your engineering team.
Technician
Materials Manager
Director/Facilitator

11. To begin, reread the memo…
Start a new page in your lab book titled, “PROJECT ENON”
Write down your observations (from the letter) that will help you build your ecosystem (5 minutes)
Share your observations with your group. (3 min.)

12. Let’s Get to Work!
In your groups, what are the first elements you need to evaluate/discuss in order to begin building your ecosystem? (5 min)
Generate a list of questions in your lab notebook.

13. Abiotic Factors- What are they?
Definition- A non- living chemical or physical factor in the environment, such as soil, pH, forest fire, etc.

14. Mind Stretcher (answer only)
Very Large Fish
Medium Fish
Plankton
Little Fish
Write the correct order of this food chain using the organisms’ names and arrows showing the FLOW of energy.
Plankton Little Fish Medium Fish Very Large Fish

15. Dr. Justin Casey Howles has emailed the following:
The distance of Enon from its galaxy’s star Rey is the same as earth is from the sun.
The angle of Rey is the same as Earth.
It’s rotation around the Rey is the same as Earth as well.

16. What abiotic factors exist on enon?
List the abiotic factors present in your lab book.

17. What’s Next?
What factors do we need to know about ENON in order to understand what organisms can live there?
Temperature & Precipitation play a huge role in what organisms can live in specific areas…What do we call an area with similar CLIMATE, plants & animals?

18. Key terms you must DEFINE & understand before moving on:
Biome
Latitude
Longitude
Climate
Temperature
Precipitation
Add a new page called “KEY TERMS”

19. BIOMES
Research and find a description of a biome using your Add a new page titled, “ENON BIOMES” List the various biomes that could possibly be found on ENON

20. Mind Stretcher
Just write the food chain w/ ARROWS and answer #2 in complete sentence!!

21. Special Delivery: copy in notebook asap!
ENON Ecosystem cards- Use the information assigned to your group to determine what your terrain will look like …Copy info from NEW updated card into notebook!!

22. When you think you have discovered the biome that matches your ecosystem, check with your teacher.

23. START researching YOUR ENON ECOSYSTEM
Consider your biome’s location on planet Enon from the biome card
Research abiotic factors associated with your biome…
Waterways in the ______ biome, etc.
Sketch/list ideas in your lab notebook about your abiotic terrain (25 minutes)
What do you want your environment layout to look like? Are there mountains? Rivers? Etc.

24. How do we know what comes next on enon?
Look at the sticks on your desk. Do you notice the light green “stuff”? What is it and what is its purpose.

25. Succession in Ecosystems
Let’s take some notes in your enon lab notebook:

26. Crash Course - Succession

27. Succession-
a series of changes where new populations in a community gradually appear.
There are two types
Primary
Secondary

28. Primary succession-
Takes place where no life currently exists-like a rock. Much like enon.

29. Primary Succession-
Rock

30. New bare rock comes from two sources:
Primary succession-
New bare rock comes from two sources:
volcanic lava flow cools and forms rock

31. New bare rock comes from two sources:
Primary succession-
New bare rock comes from two sources:
Glaciers retreat and expose rock

32. Pioneer organisms-
the first organisms to colonize a new site in primary succession
Ex: lichens are the first to colonize lava rocks

33. What are lichens?
Lichens are two different organisms, algae and fungus, which live together in a mutually beneficial relationship (symbiosis).
The fungus protects the algae from the harsh world outside, and provides it with water and mineral nutrients. The algae makes its own food by photosynthesis, and leaks some of this food, which is then absorbed by the fungus (which cannot make its own food).

34. What makes lichen so special?
This partnership is so tough and self-reliant that lichens can grow in places like bare rock in deserts, where nothing else can survive. When it is too dry, too hot, or too cold, lichens go into a state of dormancy until conditions improve.
Their only weakness? They must absorb their mineral nutrients from the rain.

35. Primary succession-

36. Secondary succession-

37. Secondary succession-
Takes place when Life that had previously existed was disrupted, so some life and nutrient rich soil exists.

38. Secondary succession-
Ex: A fire levels portions of a forest

39. Secondary succession-
Ex:
A farmer plows his field

40. Secondary succession-

41. Climax community-
a stable, mature community that undergoes little or no succession

42. START researching YOUR ENON ECOSYSTEM
Consider your biome’s location on planet Enon from the biome card
Research abiotic factors associated with your biome…
Waterways in the ______ biome, etc.
Sketch/list ideas in your lab notebook about your abiotic terrain (25 minutes)
What do you want your environment layout to look like? Are there mountains? Rivers? Etc.

43. Now that you have a plan for abiotic factors… Let’s put it into action!
Materials Manager- After getting your biome approved…See teacher to pick up ONE large poster sheet for your group
Leave a few inches along the top for a horizon.
Leave a 3 inch space along left side of poster for any keys/legends you may need along the way! (Keep sticky side on left…)
You may ONLY draw ABIOTIC FACTORS!!!

44. Researching biotic factors…
Date your notebook with today’s date.
Title it “Biotic Factors”
You have fifteen minutes in your groups to research the biotic factors in your ecosystem and create a list in your notebook.
Label the organism as producer or consumer. If it eats, label what it eats too.

45. Food chains & food webs
Quickly create index cards from the list of biotic factors.
Assemble your cards to create a simple food chain
Finally, try to create a food web.
What difficulties are you encountering? Or is everything perfect?