Question 1: How does increasing the size of the habitat affect carrying capacity? Explain your answer.

Question

Recall the scenarios: 0–15 years, Little land; 15–30 years, Moderate land; 30–45 years, Ample land.

Quick Check: Did you complete steps 1–4? If not, go ahead and complete them. Then continue on to
Part II. Be sure to follow the steps in Part II of the Student Guide.

Part I. Prepare for the project.
Step 1. Write your name on the top-right corner of the Student Worksheet.
a) The Student Worksheet can be found at the end of this document after the assignment
instructions.
Step 2. Read the entire Student Guide before you begin this project.
a) If anything is not clear to you, ask your teacher for assistance before you begin.
Step 3. Gather the materials you will need to complete this project.
Step 4. Complete Part I of the Student Worksheet (Quick Check).
Part II. Analyze factors that affect carrying capacity.
Step 1. Launch the Gizmo Rabbit Population by Season (found on slide 3 in the assignment
section of the lesson).
a) Be sure to follow the instructions in this guide and the Gizmo.
b) Locate the important buttons and tabs you will be using in this simulation so you can
familiarize yourself with the Gizmo.
Step 2: Set up and run the first simulation.
a) Under Land, choose Little.
b) Move the simulation speed to Fast.
c) Do not select any of the Conditions.
d) Click the Graph tab on the top right.
e) Zoom the graph out by clicking the – symbol on the right side of the graph until the graph
shows 0–45 years on the x-axis.
f)
Click Play (►) and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 15 years.
g) Pause (ll) the simulation.
h) Under Land, choose Moderate.
i)
Click Play and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 30 years.
j)
Pause the simulation.
k) Under Land, choose Ample.
l)
Click Play and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 45 years.
m) Stop the simulation.
n) Take a snapshot of the graph by clicking on the camera on the right-top part of the graph.
Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph A: The Effects of Land Size on
Step 3: Set up and run the second simulation.
a) Reset the simulation.
b) Under Land, choose Ample.
c) Under Conditions, choose Harsh winter.
d) Click Play and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 15 years.
e) Pause the simulation.
f)
Keep Harsh winter checked and click Cold spring under Conditions.
g) Click Play and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 30 years.
h) Pause the simulation.
i)
j)
Keep Harsh winter and Cold spring checked and click Hot summer under Conditions.
Click play and let the simulation run until the line on the graph reaches 45 years.
k) Stop the simulation.
l)
Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph B: The Effects of Different
Conditions on Carrying Capacity in the Student Worksheet.
Step 4: Complete Part II of the Student Worksheet.
Part III. Analyze factors that affect biodiversity.
Step 1. Launch the Gizmo Coral Reefs 1 – Abiotic Factors (found on slide 3 in the assignment
section of the lesson).
a) Be sure to follow the instructions in this guide and the Gizmo.
b) Locate the important buttons and tabs you will be using in this simulation so you can
familiarize yourself with the Gizmo.
Step 2: Set up and run the first simulation.
a) Click the Data tab and select all populations except Red lionfish and Crown-of-thorns
starfish.
b) Zoom the graph out by clicking the – symbol on the right side of the graph until the graph shows
0–100 years on the x-axis.
c) Increase the Ocean temperature by 1°C so that it reads 28°C.
d) Click Advance year until the lines on the graph reach 100 years.
e) Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph C: Effect of 1°C Increase in Ocean
Temperature on Biodiversity in the Student Worksheet.
f)
Click Export data. Save and title the worksheet Effect of 1°C Increase in Ocean Temperature on
Biodiversity. You will use data from this table when you complete Part III of the Student
Worksheet.
Step 3: Set up and run the second simulation.
a) Click Return to original settings and Restart.
b) Increase the acidity of the habitat by decreasing the Ocean pH value to 7.9.
c) Click Advance year until the lines on the graph reach 100 years.
d) Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph D: Effect of a Small Change in pH
on Biodiversity in Student Worksheet.
e) Click Export data. Save and title the worksheet Effect of a Small Change in pH on Biodiversity.
You will use data from this table when you complete Part III of the Student Worksheet.
Step 4: Set up and run the third simulation.
a) Click Return to original settings and Restart.
b) Increase the acidity of the habitat even more by decreasing the pH value to 7.6.
c) Click Advance year until the lines on the graph reach 100 years.
d) Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph E: Effect of a Big Change in pH on
Biodiversity in the Student Worksheet.
e) Click Export data. Save and title the worksheet Effect of a Big Change in pH on Biodiversity. You
will use data from this table when you complete Part III of the Student Worksheet.
Step 5: Complete Part III of the Student Worksheet.
a) Highlight the information in the spreadsheet that you used to support your answers.
Part IV. Write and revise a conclusion.
Step 1: Set up and run the simulation.
a) Use the Gizmo Coral Reefs 1 – Abiotic Factors from Part III.
b) Click Return to original settings and Restart.
c) Set the storm severity to 30%, ocean temperature to 28°C, and pH to 7.9.
d) Click Advance year until the lines on the graph reach 100 years.
e) Copy and paste the graph into the empty space under Graph F: Effect of Human Activity on
Biodiversity in the Student Worksheet.
Step 2: Make a conclusion about the effect of human activity on biodiversity.
a) Read the paragraph in Part IV of the Student Worksheet.
b) Then use the information from the paragraph and the graph to answer questions 9 and 10 in
the Student Worksheet.
Step 3: Conduct research on human activities that affect biodiversity in a positive way.
a) Think about ways human activity can affect biodiversity in a positive way.
b) Conduct research to find more information about this topic.
Step 4: Revise the conclusion based on the new information.
a) Use the information from your research to answer question 11 in the Student Worksheet and
revise your conclusion on the effect of human activities on biodiversity.
b) List the sources you used to revise your conclusion in the Student Worksheet.
Step 5: Complete Part IV of the Student Worksheet.
a) Complete the Quick Check.
Part V: Submit your work and clean up the work space.
Step 1: Upload the Student Worksheet and spreadsheets.
a) Make sure you have done all the Quick Checks in the Student Worksheet.
b) Make sure you have properly labeled all the worksheets you used to support your answers.
c) Make sure the information you used in the spreadsheets is properly highlighted.
d) Include your name at the top of each document.
Step 2: Clean up your work space.
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR PROJECT!

1. Gizmo Status

With this Gizmo, you can observe how weather conditions and food supply affect an ecosystem over time.

The simulation is not running. Press Play to begin.

Simulation speed
Slow Fast

Controls:
Clock: Spring Summer Fall Winter

Land
☐ Little
☐ Moderate
☐ Ample

Conditions
☐ Harsh winter
☐ Cold spring
☐ Hot summer

Summary
The image shows a simulation tool called “Gizmo” where users can study the effects of weather conditions and food supply on an ecosystem. The simulation is currently not running and users can press Play to start it. There are options to adjust the simulation speed and controls to change the seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). Users can also select land availability (Little, Moderate, Ample) and weather conditions (Harsh winter, Cold spring, Hot summer). The left side of the image depicts a landscape scene with a tree and a fenced area.

2. Match the width with the given area and length of a rectangle.

l = 7.5 cm; A = 48.75 cm²
l = 9.25 cm; A = 55.5 cm²
l = 5 cm; A = 31.25 cm²
l = 5 cm; A = 44 cm²

w = 6 cm
w = 6.25 cm
w = 8.8 cm
w = 6.5 cm

Summary
The image shows a matching exercise where you need to match the width (w) with the given area (A) and length (l) of a rectangle. Four lengths and areas are provided on the left, and four widths are provided on the right. The goal is to correctly match each length and area pair to its corresponding width.

Answer 1

Question 1: Effect of Increasing Habitat Size on Carrying Capacity

Increasing the size of the habitat generally increases the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. Carrying capacity is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely without being degraded. Several factors facilitate this increase when the habitat size is larger:

1. Resource Availability: A larger habitat provides more resources such as food, water, and shelter. This means that more individuals can thrive without depleting these resources. For example, when the habitat size increases from "Little land" to "Moderate land" and then to "Ample land," the availability of nutrients, food sources, and safe nesting sites increases proportionally.

2. Reduced Competition: In a larger habitat, individuals can spread out over a wider area. This spatial separation can reduce competition for limited resources like food and space, promoting higher population densities without harming the environment. In contrast, in a small habitat, individuals may be crowded, leading to increased competition and stress, ultimately reducing population growth.

3. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stability: Larger habitats often support a wider variety of species, contributing to ecosystem resilience. This biodiversity can enhance ecosystem functions, such as nutrient cycling and pest control, aiding in supporting larger populations.

4. Escape from Predation/Stress: With more space, individuals within a population can find refuge from predators or environmental stressors, which enables them to survive and reproduce more effectively.

In the simulation scenarios you provided (0-15 years, 15-30 years, and 30-45 years), as you move from "Little land" to "Moderate land" and then to "Ample land," the carrying capacity likely increases substantially. Each time the habitat size increases, you would expect the rabbit population to rise until it approaches the new carrying capacity set by the additional resources and space available.

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Quick Check Completion

To ensure you have everything covered:

• Step 1: Your name is on the top-right corner of the Student Worksheet.
• Step 2: You have read the entire Student Guide and asked for clarifications if needed.
• Step 3: Gathered all necessary materials for the project.
• Step 4: Completed Part I of the Student Worksheet’s Quick Check.

If you have completed these steps, you are ready to engage in Part II and analyze the factors affecting carrying capacity and biodiversity through the Gizmo simulations.

Moving Forward

Please proceed with the instructions in Part II, starting with the rabbit population simulations, and remember to carefully document your findings in the Student Worksheet, especially as you navigate different land scenarios and environmental conditions. If further assistance is needed at any step, don’t hesitate to ask. Good luck with your project!