1. Square #1 Define each of the following: Biotic Factor Abiotic Factor
Limiting Factor
Carrying Capacity
= living factors
= nonliving factors
= factors influencing population numbers
= maximum population supported by an environment

2. Square #2
Chose one, 4-organism food chain from this food web and write the names of the organisms using arrows to show energy flow
Label the organisms as producers, primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.

3. Square #3 1 10 100 1,000 Producer Primary Consumer
The pyramid at the right represents energy. Label each level with the name and type of organism from your food chain.
If 10% of the total energy consumed is incorporated into the next level, write the amount of energy in each level if the bottom level starts at 1000 calories.
Tertiary Consumer 1
Secondary
Consumer 10
Primary Consumer
100
Producer
1,000

4. Square #4 What happens to the energy as you go up the pyramid? Why? 1
The 10% Rule:
Tertiary Consumer 1
Organisms lose energy as they…grow, eat, move, etc.
ENERGY
Secondary
Consumer 10
Primary Consumer
100
The energy is turned into heat energy and is lost to the environment!
Producer
1,000

5. EXTENSION QUESTION!
A pyramid is a good shape for the energy flow diagram because it shows the reduced calories available at each trophic level…
What else do you think gets reduced as you work your way through the trophic levels?

7. Square #5 List the biotic and abiotic factors in this forest ecosystem

8. Square #6
List five factors that would be limiting factors in this forest ecosystem

9. Squares #7 + #8
Answer the following questions in complete sentences:
Predict what would happen to the members of the food chain if pollution from factories killed significant numbers of the primary consumers.
Predict what would happen if a better-adapted secondary consumer were to move into the ecosystem.
If humans built homes that decreased the habitat of this ecosystem, how would the carrying capacity be affected? Why?
Draw food chains on the board: producer primary consumer  secondary consumer  tertiary consumer

10. Exit Ticket BCR
Interdependence in nature is illustrated by the transfer of energy through trophic levels. Use the forest food chain you developed to answer the following:
Explain how energy is obtained at each trophic level by the different organisms (consumer, producer, etc).
Describe the efficiency of energy transfer between trophic levels and discuss how the amount of energy available at each trophic level affects the structure of the ecosystem.
If the plant material contained a commercially produced toxin, what would be the likely effects of this toxin on this food web? Explain.