Module 4: Ecological Systems & Biodiversity

Tues, 23 Sept 2025

Evaluation Pattern & Process

Analyzing Patterns in Savanna Landscapes
How are Pattern & Process related?

Distributions can be influenced by:

This is an aerial view of vegetation.

Predict what might influence this distribution of vegetative

mounds?

Video 0-2:45 min.

The following photo is a portion of the savanna showing a Voronoi diagram overlaid on a landscape of termite
mounds:
Using a pen, place a dot in the center of 20 random mounds that don’t touch the edge of the figure. For each mound
you marked count the number of neighbors that share a border with the mount and record the data in the table
below. Be sure to keep track of which mounds you have or have not counted.

Calculate the Mean (average number of neighbors of the 20 termite mounds): ___________

Calculate the Median (middle value in the data set when listed in numerical order):_________

Calculate the Mode (the value that occurs most frequently in the data set): ____________

GROUP QUESTION 1: Which of the statements below is TRUE regarding your data?

a. The mean, median, and mode differ, suggesting that there is a lot of variation in the amount of space
required by the termites.
b. The mean, median, and mode are all similar, suggesting that most mounds require roughly the same amount
of space.
c. The mean, median, and mode are all similar, suggesting that there is a lot of variation in the amount of space
required by the termites.
d. The mean, median, and mode differ, suggesting that most mounds require roughly the same amount of
space.

GROUP QUESTION 2: Do the data from the Voronoi diagram indicate that termite mounds “maximized the
available space in the ecosystem”? Be able to justify your answer.

a. Don’t choose
b. No Why?
c. Partially
d. Yes

In your Group: Predict what causes the distribution of the termite mounds.

What Process Underlies the Pattern?

What does the video suggest explains the pattern distribution?

How does the distribution influence the stability of the ecosystem?

Climate change models predict water stress in some savanna ecosystems. Why should conservation efforts be
devoted to retaining termite populations?

Take Aways?
Global Patterns Impacted by the Greenhouse Effect
The Greenhouse Gases (GHG):

Why does it matter?

How it works:

Is it important on other planets?

Ride the wave of solar energy and put the following events in order:
GROUP QUESTION 3: First, solar radiation enters the atmosphere. Then,

1. Greenhouse gases absorb the ______ energy.

2. The surface of the earth reflects and absorbs solar radiation.
3. Infrared energy is released from ___.

The temperature of the earth is warmer than it would be without an atmosphere.

a. 3 -> 1 -> 2
b. 1 -> 3 -> 2
c. 2 -> 3 -> 1
d. 1 -> 2 -> 3

Activity: Earthviewer
Go to: [Link]

What are carbon dioxide levels today on earth according to the interactive (~2012)? ____________

Oxygen levels? ________

Look at the “Paleo Earth.” You can move silver slider to the Cambrian Period—“Play” time and answer the questions:

GROUP QUESTION 4: Which of the following statements is TRUE about carbon dioxide levels over the last ~540
million years? (You can also pull up a “Chart” for carbon dioxide under the “CHARTS” tab.)
a. Carbon dioxide levels over the last 500 million years were a lot higher than they are today.
b. Carbon dioxide levels over the last 500 million years were fairly stable.
c. Carbon dioxide levels over the last 500 million years were a lot lower than they are today.
d. Carbon dioxide levels over the last 500 million years fluctuate regularly between extremes.

GROUP QUESTION 5: Which of the following statements is TRUE about oceans and continents over the last ~540
million years?
a. More of the continents were covered by water (light blue) when carbon dioxide levels are high.
b. More of the continents were covered by water (light blue) when carbon dioxide levels are low.
c. Continental cover by water is not predictable based on carbon dioxide levels.
d. There has not been any change in the amount of land over this time period.
Next, look at the “Ice Age Earth” and move the slide back to the Late Pleistocene Epoch, 21,000 years ago. You can
move the Earth Viewer to Look at different places around the world. Press “Play” time and answer the questions:

500 years before present, what were carbon dioxide concentration & average global temperature?
____________ppm ______________ C (500 years ago, before the industrial revolution)

VS.

____________ppm ______________ C (21,000 years ago in the late Pleistocene)

____________ppm ______________ C (time 0 [~2012]—note that the values for 0 [present] vary)

VS.

____________ppm ______________ C (100 years into the future)

GROUP QUESTION 6: As the carbon dioxide levels increased from 185 ppm in the early Late Pleistocene to 260 ppm
during the Holocene, what happened to the polar ice caps?
a. They grew.
b. They disappeared.
c. They shrunk.
d. They changed unpredictably.

GROUP QUESTION 7: What is the predicted fate of Florida (and other coastal areas) into the future?
a. Florida disappears underwater.
b. More of Florida and other coastal areas are exposed as sea levels recede.
c. Florida becomes a smaller state.
d. No change.

WHAT ARE CARBON DIOXIDE LEVELS ACTUALLY ON EARTH TODAY? ______________________ PPM

Climate Activity Take Home Messages/Debrief:

Activity: Climate Feedback Loops
What is a “feedback loop”?

A Positive Feedback? What effect does it have on the system?

A Negative Feedback? What effect does it have on the system?

Reflectivity of Ice (Albedo)—We will do this one together

Notes:

Beginning of the Loop: Warming of the Earth results in loss of polar ice caps.

What’s the Completion of the Loop:

Type of Feedback Loop: A) Positive or B) Negative?

With Your Group Assess these Feedback Loops:

Changes in Permafrost
Notes:

Beginning of the Loop: Warming of the Earth results in thawing of the permafrost

What’s the Completion of the Loop:

GROUP QUESTION 8: What type of Feedback Loop is this: A & B) Don’t Pick C) Negative or D) Positive?

Changes in Cloud Cover

Notes:

Beginning of the Loop: Warming of the Earth results in reduction of

cirrus-type clouds

What’s the Completion of the Loop:

GROUP QUESTION 9: What type of Feedback Loop is this: A) Positive or B) Negative ?

 Changes in Droughts and Forest Fires
Notes:

Beginning of the Loop: Warming of the Earth results in increased drought-

related forest fires

GROUP QUESTION 10: What’s LIKELY the Completion of the Loop? And Type of Feedback Loop…

a. Loss of forests by fires results in forest regrowth and uptake of excessive amounts of carbon dioxide, cooling
the earth. Negative Feedback Loop
b. Forest fires release large amounts of water vapor into the atmosphere, which results in black smoke cloud
cover and cooling of the earth. Positive Feedback Loop
c. Forest fires release water vapor and stored carbon into the atmosphere, increasing warming. Positive
Feedback Loop
d. Forest fires help heat escape the atmosphere, resulting in cooling of the earth. Negative Feedback Loop

Type of Feedback Loop: ________________

Take Aways?

Global Patterns of Biodiversity are Influenced by Solar Radiation

Directness of solar radiation influences what?

GROUP QUESTION 1: As the earth rotates around the sun,

it will be summer in the Northern hemisphere in which
position—

A, B, C, or D?
GROUP QUESTION 2: Currently, the earth’s elliptical orbit results in earth being closest to the sun in “C” and farthest
from the sun in “A.” What impact will this have on climate?
a. It will make winters in the Northern Hemisphere more mild.
b. It will have no effect.
c. It will make summers in the Northern Hemisphere more severe.
d. It will reverse the seasons.

GROUP QUESTION 3: If the planet went from its 23.5 o tilt to no tilt due to a collision with a giant asteroid, how would
seasons be affected?
a. And the seasons, they’d go round and round and the painted ponies go up and down.
b. Seasonality would not change.
c. Seasonality would disappear.
d. Seasonality would become magnified.

Take Aways:

Evaluating Global Weather Patterns across Space

Global Precipitation & Wind Patterns:

Movement of Air by Temp:

Warm air:
Cold air:

Water holding potential of:

Warm air:
Cold air:

This results in more deserts at: ____________

This results in more forests at: _____________

Why These Things Matter:

Terrestrial Biomes Influenced by:

Take Home Messages

Ecological Systems: Ecosystems

Thursday, 25 September 2025

Relationships that Affect Local Patterns: Eat to Live & Live to Eat

Trophic Levels:

“Big Picture” View of Species:

What Moves Through Food

Chain?

Energy Flow in an Ecosystem

What do the lines represent?

Red

Blue
Why is some energy lost to the ecosystem?

Label the trophic levels:

What influences the productivity of the system?

What are the consequences of energy flow?

GROUP QUESTION 4: A plant is eaten by a caterpillar, which in turn is eaten by a bird. The bird is eaten by a snake,
which is in turn eaten by a mongoose. In this scenario, what of the below is properly matched?

a. Primary Carnivore:Snake
b. Secondary Carnivore:Snake
c. Herbivore:Snake
d. Tertiary Carnivore: Snake

GROUP QUESTION 5: To recycle nutrients, the minimum an ecosystem must have is:
a. producers and detritivores.
b. producers (or autotrophs).
c. producers, herbivores, and detritivores.
d. producers, herbivores, primary carnivores, secondary carnivores, and detritivores.

Consequences of Movement of Energy through Food Chains: Pattern

A consequence is the “pyramid of numbers” or “pyramid

of energy” – why?

Where is the Energy Going: Reasons Energy is “Lost” to the

Ecosystem (Process)

(1) Metabolism
 (2) Energy Lost in the Conversion from one trophic level to another

GROUP QUESTION 6: If you had a large quantity of grain and wanted to

convert it to the greatest amount of biomass, who should you feed it to?

a. Chicken
b. Mice
c. Mealworms (larval insects)
d. Humans

Why?

GROUP QUESTION 7:After looking at the figure above, what can be said about productivity in this ecosystem?
a. Nothing can be said based on this information.
b. Between 10% and 20% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels.
c. Between 80% and 90% of the energy is lost between most trophic levels.
d. Productivity increases with each trophic level.

What are the Trophic Level Implications for Human Diets?

GROUP QUESTION 8: Trophic transfer of energy also reveals what about human dietary choices?
a. All of the answers are true.
b. It takes equal amounts of primary production to sustain a vegetarian as a carnivore.
c. Vegetarians would have to eat more food to maintain biomass.
d. Human carrying capacity on earth will decrease with increased meat consumption.

Chemicals/Nutrients Cycle:
Biogeochemical cycling is:

The Carbon Cycle (one example of biogeochemical cycling)

What is the current concentration of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere?

GROUP QUESTION 9:Which of the statements about the carbon cycle are true?
 a. Increases is carbon in the atmosphere represents a redistribution of global carbon.
b. Carbon is increasing on planet earth.
c. The largest reserves of carbon are in the atmosphere.
d. Living things produce carbon dioxide, but do not store carbon.

GROUP QUESTION 10:In most terrestrial food webs, where will most of the C be stored?

a. At higher trophic levels

b. In the primary producers
c. In the primary consumers
d. In the top of the food chain—tertiary or quaternary consumers

Where is most of the carbon stored in terrestrial food webs?

Global Climate Change: Can We Change the “Debate”?

Even though there is scientific consensus that climate change is real and caused by humans, there is still a public
debate about whether global climate change (GCC) is real and human caused. Even if we can’t agree if it’s
happening, we can still evaluate risk to determine our course of action. In your groups, you will evaluate what the
most serious consequences are for each scenario.

Where are the risks the greatest and lowest?

What are some things we as a society could do right now?

Important Take Away from Today:

Module 4 Examining Communities & Species Interactions
30 September 2025

Invasive Species in Communities

What are “Invasive Exotic” Species? Who is responsible for introductions?

What is “the New Pangea”? What are the consequences of invasion?

From Pimentel et al. 2005

Ecological Risks, for example the Cane Toad

Local Community Assemblages

Are Influenced by:

What Influences the types of interactions species have?

Activity: Identify the Interactions:
GROUP QUESTION 1: Ravens and wolves have been found to have a relationship with wolf reintroduction into
Yellowstone. Ravens will often call and appear to lead wolf packs to potential prey, which wolves may be able to
attack and kill. After wolves leave the kill, the raven moves into feed. What type of relationship is described
between ravens & wolves?

a. Parasitism
b. Commensalism
c. Competition
d. Mutualism
e. Predation

GROUP QUESTION 2: Mistletoe are plants that grow on forest trees. They obtain nutrients and water from the trees
and the trees derive no known benefits from mistletoe. Which of the following best describes the interaction
between mistletoe & trees?

a. Parasitism
b. Mutualism
c. Commensalism
d. Competition
e. Predation

GROUP QUESTION 3: Many humans keep domestic cats and dogs around their home. Consider what humans give to
their pets and what they get in return, if anything. What type of species interaction is this? Be able to explain why.

a. Parasitism
b. Commensalism
c. Competition
d. Mutualism
e. Predation

GROUP QUESTION 4: Global use of insecticides to kill crop pests is a result of this human-insect interaction. Consider
what humans and insects gain or lose from one another to evaluate this relationship. What type of interaction is
this? Be able to explain why.

a. Mutualism
b. Parasitism
c. Competition
d. Commensalism
e. Predation

GROUP QUESTION 5: Humans grow large areas of corn to use for food and fuel. Consider what each species gains or
loses because of this interaction. What type of species interaction is this? Be able to explain why.

a. Mutualism
b. Parasitism
c. Commensalism
d. Competition
e. Predation
Take Aways:

Connecting Trophic Levels through Food Chains…and Food Webs

Top Predator Removal: How does the effect on autotrophs potentially change if there are:

4 trophic levels?

5 trophic levels?

Predator Control was Federal Policy

Figures and Data below from Beschta & Ripple 2012

The Olympic National Park & Yellowstone National Park Food Webs
GROUP QUESTION 6: In each of these food webs before Euro-American movement westward, which of the below is
most likely TRUE?

a. There was a cycle of the number of top predators becoming greater in number than the number of its prey.
b. The pyramid of numbers likely did not hold in systems with large predators.
c. All of these answers are likely TRUE.
d. Top predators were always small in number relative to numbers of animals at lower trophic levels.

Association between Predators and Trees

What do these figures show & suggest?

GROUP QUESTION 7: What is a reasonable prediction(s) of changes in the ecosystem after predator are lost from the
systems based on these figures?

a. Primary productivity will remain the same, but different plants are involved.
b. C&D
c. Primary productivity will decline.
d. Less energy will move through the ecosystem.

Evaluate the Ecological Response (from Zion National Park): Using the Figure Below, Answer these
Questions
GROUP QUESTION 8 Based on the figure below: When human visitors are more common in Zion National Park,
cougars are:

a. More common.
b. As common as without humans, but they are more difficult to find.
c. Less common.
d. Eaten by wolves.
GROUP QUESTION 9: Based on the figure below: The presence of cougars leads to all of the following EXCEPT:

a. Changes in stream morphology

b. Reduced amphibian abundance
c. Increased cottonwood regeneration (abundance of young cottonwood)
d. Increased wildflower abundance

GROUP QUESTION 10: Does the data suggest wolves and cougar are keystone species? (Why?)

a. Yes, bc despite their relatively small number, they have strong impacts on community diversity.
b. No, bc they are relatively small in number and their loss does not dramatically impact the community.
c. Yes, bc they are large in number, their effects are important even if they do not alter abundance or diversity
at lower trophic levels.
d. No, bc they are relatively large in number, and species that are large in number are called “dominant
species.”

Take Aways: