Observe an ecosystem, either in your backyard, a natural area within a city, a park, or another place outdoors. Take note of plant and animal life (that includes looking for traces of animals such as scat, hair, footprints, etc.). Then write a 2-3 page paper that includes the following listed points. It is required that you apply vocabulary and information from your reading and research in your ecosystem description with support from a minimum of two sources.
- Describe the location you chose to observe
- Research the term “abiotic” and discuss abiotic factors that influence the ecosystem.
- What populations did you observe (or have observed in the past) in the ecosystem?
- Describe the biological communities that exist.
- What components of a food web or food chain (e.g., producers, consumers, decomposers, etc.) did you observe?
- What interactions did you observe (or likely exist) within the ecosystem: Provide specific examples for the following interactions:
- symbiosis (parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism)
- predation
- competition
Before submitting your paper, be sure your paper meets all the grading criteria presented in the rubric.
Format your paper according to APA standards — review these standards and requirements in the CAGS Writing Guide that is available in the Student Resources tab in Blackboard.
