Question
_____________________________________DISCUSSION________________________________
Take a look at the data in your chart and the table on Slide 14 of the Portfolio presentation that
includes information on what each organism needs to survive for the season.
1. Which one of your organisms survived Season 1?
The simulation data showed that the Sloth survived season 1.
a. Why?
According to my simulation data, the Sloth survived season 1 because it was able to
gather a sufficient amount of food. It was able to collect 4 black beads, 4 pink beads,
and 7 white beads which was enough for survival for the season. Although the Gorilla
gathered enough pink and white beads, it only collected 8 black beads as opposed to
20 black beads, This meant that the Gorilla did not collect sufficient overall amount of
food beads for it to survive the season. Consequently, this shows that competition for
the same resource can cause one organism not able to survive for the season, in this
case the Gorilla.
2. Which one of your organisms survived Season 2?
The simulation data showed that the Sloth survived season 2.
a. Why?
The Sloth survived season 2, because the simulation data result indicated that the sloth
was able to gather enough food, 5 black beads and 4 pink beads, 9 white beads which
is sufficient for survival. Although the Gorilla did gather enough pink and white beads, it
did not gather enough black beads, it only gathered 9 black beads instead of 20. Again,
this insufficient number (scarcity of food) is caused by the increased competition.
In conclusion, my simulation investigation showed the effects of competition for resources;
that populations in an ecosystem are affected by competition, in this case the competition is
the animals (Gorilla and Sloth) competing for the same resource beads (food). The simulation
also indicated that competition decreases the chance that an organism will get what it needs
to survive. It showed this by having a limited time in which the organisms could pick out the
beads, in this case the Gorilla did not have sufficient time to gather its food due to the larger
amounts of food it needed to collect to survive for the seasons as compared to the Sloth which
did not have as much food to collect. The simulation does indicate that members of
populations are not able to survive due to competition for the same resources, which happens
in real ecosystems. However, my simulation is not as intricate as a real ecosystem because in
a real ecosystem, there would be many more varieties of food resources, more organisms
(consumers). Consequently, when necessary resources such as habitats, water, and food
become scarce in an ecosystem, the population size of the organism would get smaller and if
this trend continues, the population of the organism would lead to extinction.
3. Consider the tools you used to gather the resources. How did that impact each
organisms’ ability to effectively get food? (You should have at least 2 sentences for this
answer since you have two organisms.
In my simulation, the tools used to gather the resources (beads) impacted each of the
organism’s ability to effectively gather the food resource. A tong was used to represent the
Gorilla and a spoon was used to represent the Sloth. The spoon used to gather the beads for
the Sloth was quite difficult in season 1 as the beads were so small that it kept slipping off the
spoon. However, with the practice from season 1, the spoon was able to gather a little more
food in season 2. Although it was easier to gather the beads for the Gorilla with the tongs,
there was not enough time to gather the larger amounts of food that it needed to survive as
compared to the Sloth, which did not need much food to gather for it to survive.
a. What could be changed to make it better and why?
I would change the tools used as it was not effective, and it actually impacted the
gathering of the beads. Using the tong for the Gorilla was not effective enough to gather
the large amount of food it needed to survive for the season. The spoon for the Sloth
was also challenging as the bead kept slipping off. Also, the beads that represented the
food source were too small and that made it difficult to pick with the tools used. Instead
of using tools, fingers can be used and that may be easier and quicker. In addition,
instead of the tiny beads, bigger beads could be used. Also, colored paper would be a
good alternative as the texture is not as smooth and slippery like the beads used. Go to the “Discussion” section of the lab report. What was the main issue with the tools used in the activity described?(1 point)
Responses
The tools were too heavy to handle.
The tools were too heavy to handle.
The tools were not colorful enough.
The tools were not colorful enough.
The tools were ineffective and impacted gathering the beads.
The tools were ineffective and impacted gathering the beads.
The tools were too expensive to purchase.
Take a look at the data in your chart and the table on Slide 14 of the Portfolio presentation that
includes information on what each organism needs to survive for the season.
1. Which one of your organisms survived Season 1?
The simulation data showed that the Sloth survived season 1.
a. Why?
According to my simulation data, the Sloth survived season 1 because it was able to
gather a sufficient amount of food. It was able to collect 4 black beads, 4 pink beads,
and 7 white beads which was enough for survival for the season. Although the Gorilla
gathered enough pink and white beads, it only collected 8 black beads as opposed to
20 black beads, This meant that the Gorilla did not collect sufficient overall amount of
food beads for it to survive the season. Consequently, this shows that competition for
the same resource can cause one organism not able to survive for the season, in this
case the Gorilla.
2. Which one of your organisms survived Season 2?
The simulation data showed that the Sloth survived season 2.
a. Why?
The Sloth survived season 2, because the simulation data result indicated that the sloth
was able to gather enough food, 5 black beads and 4 pink beads, 9 white beads which
is sufficient for survival. Although the Gorilla did gather enough pink and white beads, it
did not gather enough black beads, it only gathered 9 black beads instead of 20. Again,
this insufficient number (scarcity of food) is caused by the increased competition.
In conclusion, my simulation investigation showed the effects of competition for resources;
that populations in an ecosystem are affected by competition, in this case the competition is
the animals (Gorilla and Sloth) competing for the same resource beads (food). The simulation
also indicated that competition decreases the chance that an organism will get what it needs
to survive. It showed this by having a limited time in which the organisms could pick out the
beads, in this case the Gorilla did not have sufficient time to gather its food due to the larger
amounts of food it needed to collect to survive for the seasons as compared to the Sloth which
did not have as much food to collect. The simulation does indicate that members of
populations are not able to survive due to competition for the same resources, which happens
in real ecosystems. However, my simulation is not as intricate as a real ecosystem because in
a real ecosystem, there would be many more varieties of food resources, more organisms
(consumers). Consequently, when necessary resources such as habitats, water, and food
become scarce in an ecosystem, the population size of the organism would get smaller and if
this trend continues, the population of the organism would lead to extinction.
3. Consider the tools you used to gather the resources. How did that impact each
organisms’ ability to effectively get food? (You should have at least 2 sentences for this
answer since you have two organisms.
In my simulation, the tools used to gather the resources (beads) impacted each of the
organism’s ability to effectively gather the food resource. A tong was used to represent the
Gorilla and a spoon was used to represent the Sloth. The spoon used to gather the beads for
the Sloth was quite difficult in season 1 as the beads were so small that it kept slipping off the
spoon. However, with the practice from season 1, the spoon was able to gather a little more
food in season 2. Although it was easier to gather the beads for the Gorilla with the tongs,
there was not enough time to gather the larger amounts of food that it needed to survive as
compared to the Sloth, which did not need much food to gather for it to survive.
a. What could be changed to make it better and why?
I would change the tools used as it was not effective, and it actually impacted the
gathering of the beads. Using the tong for the Gorilla was not effective enough to gather
the large amount of food it needed to survive for the season. The spoon for the Sloth
was also challenging as the bead kept slipping off. Also, the beads that represented the
food source were too small and that made it difficult to pick with the tools used. Instead
of using tools, fingers can be used and that may be easier and quicker. In addition,
instead of the tiny beads, bigger beads could be used. Also, colored paper would be a
good alternative as the texture is not as smooth and slippery like the beads used. Go to the “Discussion” section of the lab report. What was the main issue with the tools used in the activity described?(1 point)
Responses
The tools were too heavy to handle.
The tools were too heavy to handle.
The tools were not colorful enough.
The tools were not colorful enough.
The tools were ineffective and impacted gathering the beads.
The tools were ineffective and impacted gathering the beads.
The tools were too expensive to purchase.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The main issue with the tools used in the activity described was that **the tools were ineffective and impacted gathering the beads.**