[i] Notice the timer in the upper right. Your goal is to work as quickly and accurately as possible.
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|1db9f2b50fb67″ question_number=”1″ show_hotspots=”hover_hide click_hide”] The carbon cycle. Click on the reservoir, flow, or its letter or number.
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CO2 in the atmosphere
Awesome! CO2 is at number 1.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Carbon dioxide has one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms.Where do you see a molecule like that?
Photosynthesis
Excellent: “A” is photosynthesis.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find an arrow that’s bringing carbon into plants.
Respiration by plants
Exactly. “B” is respiration by plants.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find an arrow that’s moving carbon from plants back to the atmosphere.
Ecological Producers
Exactly. Plants, at “2” are ecological producers.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Plants are ecological producers.
Consumption
Fantastic. “C” is consumption.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Consumption moves carbon-based compounds from plants to animals.
Ecological consumers
Good work: “3” represents ecological consumers.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Animals are ecological consumers.
Death
Great! Death by animals is “E.” Death by plants is “F.”
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find arrows moving from animals or plants to decomposers. Bacterial and fungi are decomposers.
Bacteria
Decomposers
Nice! The fungi and bacteria at “4” are decomposers.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Fungi and bacteria are decomposers.
Fossil fuel formation
Outstanding! The arrow at “H” represents fossil fuel formation.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find the arrow that’s going from dead plants to the oil rig.
Fossil fuels
Superb! “5” represents fossil fuels.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Coal, oil, and natural gas are fossil fuels.
Fossil fuel extraction (mining/drilling) and processing.
Terrific. Letter “I” represents fossil fuel extraction.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find a flow that would take oil/petroleum from the ground to machines.
The letter
Fossil fuel-powered machines
That’s right. Number 6 represents fossil fuel powered machines
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: A factory is (usually) either powered by fossil fuels, or by electricity from fossil fuels.
fuel-powered
Combustion
Thumbs up! “J” represents combustion.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Machines/factories (often) combust fossil fuels, which emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Respiration by decomposers.
Way to go! “G” represents respiration by decomposers.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Decomposition involves cellular respiration, which releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Find a flow from decomposers.
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” show_hotspots=”” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|552d0ce43758f” question_number=”2″] Trophic levels. The producers have 7,000,000 units of energy.
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The trophic level with the most harvestable energy.
Good job. The producers would have the most harvestable energy.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Ecological producers have the most harvestable energy.
If the producers have 7,000,000 units of energy, then the organisms in this trophic level would have 70,000 units of energy
Awesome! If the producers have 7,000,000 units of energy, the 2dary consumers will have 70,000.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Only 10% of the energy is passed from one trophic level to the next. If the producers have 7,000,000 units, then the primary consumers will have 10% of 7,000,000. Take 10% of that and you’ll have your answer.
The source of all the energy in this ecosystem.
Correct! In almost every ecosystem, the sun is the source the energy.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: What powers photosynthesis?
If the producers have 7,000,000 units of energy, then the organisms in this trophic level have 7000 units of energy.
Good job. If the producers have 7,000,000 units of energy, then the third level consumers will have 7,000 units of energy.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Start with 7,000,000 units. The primary consumers will have 10% of that. The secondary consumers will have 10% of the energy in the primary consumers. How much will be in the tertiary consumers (like the eagle)?
third-level
Represents the 90% of energy lost between trophic levels.
Excellent. The arrows represent the energy that’s lost between trophic levels.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME. If the thin black arrows represent the energy that’s transferred between trophic levels, then what could represent the energy that’s not transferred?
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” show_hotspots=”” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|14bd54d91094f6″ question_number=”3″] Population Growth
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The letter that represents the most rapid exponential growth phase
Terrific! “B” is rapid exponential growth
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: You’re looking for the steepest part of the curve.
The letter that represents the carrying capacity
That’s right! “E” is carrying capacity.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: This is the maximum population size that the environment will allow.
The letter that represents when limiting factors are slowing population growth (but the population is still growing).
Very nice! At point “C,” the N is approaching K, and population growth is slowing.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find where the slope of population growth is starting to level off.
The letter that represents when the population has reached carrying capacity.
Way to go! At “D” the population has reached carrying capacity
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Look for the point when the rate of growth has dropped to zero.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The autotrophs are ecological producers.
Herbivores
Way to go. The herbivores are at “2”
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The herbivores are the primary consumers.
Secondary consumers
Very nice. Secondary consumers are at “3.”
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The secondary consumers are carnivores.
Trophic level with the least energy.
Correct! The top trophic level has the least harvestable energy.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Harvestable energy goes down as you move up a food chain.
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” show_hotspots=”” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|e1261f92cc237″ question_number=”5″] Species Interactions
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Results in niche partitioning and character displacement
Awesome! That’s competition!
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: This is what happens when two species are competing with one another.
Includes mitochondria and cells, clownfish and anemones, the algae and fungus in a lichen
Correct! That’s mutualism
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Look for a type of relationship where both species benefit.
This has resulted in the evolution of defenses like thorns in the species that suffer these attacks.
Excellent. Herbivory has resulted in defenses like thorns.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Thorns are found in plants.
Tapeworms (and many other animals), many fungi, some bacteria, and almost all viruses are in this niche.
Good work! That’s parasitism
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: You’re looking for parasitic relationships.
Commensalism
Nice! That’s commensalism.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: An example is when an egret sits on cattle. The egret gets a perch. The cattle are unaffected.
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” show_hotspots=”” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|e115f8804e637″ question_number=”6″] Competition and its consequences
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Realized niche of species “A.”
Nice going! Arrow “A” designates the realized niche of species “A”
HINT FOR NEXT TIME. The realized niche is the range of resources that a species is limited to because of competition from other species.
The fundamental niche of species “A.”
Superb. Double arrow “C” represents the fundamental niche of species “A.”
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The fundamental niche is the range of resources that a species could exploit in the absence of competition from other species.
Experimental proof that the fundamental and realized niche of one of these species is the same.
Yes! When “A” is removed, the range of “B” is the same, proving that the fundamental and realized niche of “B” is the same.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find the proof that competition from A is NOT what limits the range of B, and you’ll have your answer.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The climax forest has the most biomass and the most spatial complexity.
Primary succession begins with bare rock.
Way to go. “1” shows the bare rock with which primary succession begins.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Primary succession begins when a rockslide, volcanic eruption, or other process leaves nothing but bare rock.
Pioneer species such as lichens and moss.
Thumbs up. “2” is where pioneer species start to colonize the bare rock.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: “1” is where primary succession begins (with bare rock). Which stage would show the first species to colonize that bare rock?
Small plants replace the mosses and lichens
Terrific. “3” shows small plants replacing the lichens and mosses.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Small plants continue the succession process that’s started by lichens and mosses in stage “2.”
Shrubs create a two-layered community.
Nice! “4” shows shrubs creating a two layered community (shrubs above, shade tolerant herbs below).
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: At “3” you see small sun-tolerant plants moving into the community. Which stage shows where these small plants would be replaced by taller shrubs?
shade-toleranttwo-layered
The first trees create a 3-layered community (trees, shrubs, and shade-tolerant herbs)
Good job. “5” shows a 3-layered community.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The first trees overgrow the shrubs that establish themselves at stage “4.”
Good job! The seastar is the keystone species in this system.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: The keystone species is a top-level predator.
If the keystone species is removed, this species expands. reducing diversity.
Nice! In this system, the mussels are the species that the sea stars control, which keeps the mussels from expanding and outcompeting all the other species in this system.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: In this system, the main species that the sea stars are controlling sounds like the contractile tissue you use to move your body.
If the keystone species is removed, this species will be outcompeted.
Exactly: Removing the sea stars allows the mussels to expand, reducing the chitons, limpets, sea snails, and barnacles.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: If the sea stars are removed, the mussels expand. Every other species will be reduced or eliminated.
Yes. Small population size leads to genetic drift and inbreeding.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Think of the processes that would cause a small isolated population to lose its genetic diversity. Where would that go on this flowchart?
Lowered birth rate, higher death rate.
Correct! Reduced fitness and adaptability will increase a population’s death rate and decrease its birth rate.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Think about the consequences of reduced fitness. Where would that go on this flow chart?
Smaller population
Great job! Smaller population would result from lowered population growth and would lead to an even smaller population.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Small and isolated populations enter into a vicious cycle. Where would “smaller population” leading to an even smaller population go on this flow chart?
[q json=”true” hotspot_user_interaction=”label_prompt” show_hotspots=”” dataset_id=”Ecology Click On Challenge|e0918c5c06e37″ question_number=”10″] Simpson’s Biodiversity Index
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The community with the lowest species richness
Correct! With only 3 species, community A has the lowest species richness.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Species richness is a measure of the number of species in a community. Which community has the smallest number of species?
The community with the lowest species evenness.
Awesome. Community “C” has the lowest species evenness.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Species evenness is defined by how evenly distributed the members of various species are within a community. Find the community where the species are NOT evenly represented.
The community with the highest overall diversity.
Nice job! Community “B” has the highest species richness and evenness, giving it the highest diversity.
HINT FOR NEXT TIME: Find the community with the highest species richness (number of species) AND highest evenness (most even distribution of species) giving it the highest overall diversity.
