Teacher Portal
Ecosystems
Investigation 3
Investigation 3
Ecosystems
Phase 1 – Defined Understanding
Student Guide
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Access Teacher Guide
Student Guide with answers
Teacher PreLab
Prepare for the Experiment
Phase 2 – Dynamic Understanding
► Investigation Three Summary – Lab Goals
In Investigation Three, you investigated the variation in the amount of biomass in an ecosystem and how an ecosystem can support the organisms within it. During this Investigation, you:
1. Determined the average plant biomass in (2) two sample ecosystems by using a sampling technique.
2. Calculated the area of each ecosystem model and the sample frame by using the following formula:
Area = Length X Width
► Investigation Three Summary – Learning Goals
Through these experiments, you concluded that:
1. The amount of energy that is stored by producers determines the amount of biomass they can form. The amount of biomass and energy in the producer level determines the amount of biomass and energy that can be produced in each of the upper levels of the ecosystem. As the amount of biomass and energy increases in upper levels, the greater the number of levels an ecosystem can support.
2. The amount of energy in an ecosystem is determined by the amount of biomass in the ecosystem. The amount of biomass in the ecosystem is determined by the amount of photosynthesis which occurs in the producer level. The amount of photosynthesis determines the amount of energy that is stored by the producers in their biomass and can thus move through the ecosystem.
Concept Slides
Launch and Discuss
Mathematics Concepts in This Investigation
- (in)direct relationships
- length in cm
- geometry
- addition
- calculate averages
- division
- mass in grams
- measuring mass using a triple beam balance
- calculating area
- multiplication
- metric conversion
- width in cm
- exponents
- greater than/less than/equal to
- predict/verify results
- decimals to nearest ten-thousandth
- data table
- data analysis