1. -1Antarctic Ecosystem Research Project
The aim of this research project is to find out about the Antarctic and develop
your understanding of ecological relationships.
Links
http://www.botos.com/marine/antarctic01.html#intro
http://www.antarcticconnection.com/antarctic/weather/index.shtml
www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica%20fact%20file/antarctica
%20environment/weather.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/about_antarctica/index.php
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/edexcel/environment/
Ø What is an Ecosystem?
Ø Where is the Antarctic ecosystem located?
Ø Find out any interesting facts about the Antarctic.
Ø Underline the key words you don’t understand and create a glossary
before you start.
Research
1. Find out what the conditions are like and describe them. I.e. climate
2. You need to identify the plants and animals found here.
3. Then you must then determine whether they are producers, herbivore,
carnivores, scavengers or omnivores. (Create a table)
4. What are the plants competing for in their habitat? Also what are the
2. animals competing for?
5. You must research pyramids of number and produce one for a food chain
from this ecosystem.
6. Then you must use a different food chain to create a pyramid of biomass
(find out what is meant by the term biomass). Explain why there are a
fewer number of organisms at the top of the food chain.
7. Next you must construct a food web for the plants and animals found
there. You must also explain what would happen if an organism in the
food chain became extinct.
8. Is there any pollution there? Find out what is meant by bioaccumulation
and explain how dangerous chemicals can be passed along the food
chain.
9. How else may humans have an impact on this ecosystem? You must
explain in detail. (I.e. global warming, hunting etc)
10.How could you estimate the population of a certain species?
3. 11.Select an organism to research. Find out an estimation of the population
over the past few years. Plot a population graph to show the changes over
time.
12.Suggest reasons for the change in population over time. I.e reasons why
the population of a species may rapidly increase.
13. Now try and find the population of a predator of that organisms and plot it
on the same graph.
14. Discuss and explain your findings for the predator- prey population graph.
4. Fact File
Kingdom: ________________
Phylum: __________________
Class: ____________________
Order: ____________________
Family: ___________________
Genus: ____________________
Species: ___________________
Ø Description:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Ø Feeding relationship: Producer Herbivore Carnivore Omnivore
Ø Prey/ food ?
________________________________________________________
Ø Any known predators?
__________________________________________________________________
Ø Ideal habitat conditions:-
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Ø What are the adaptations that allow they to survive in these conditions?
__________________________________________________________________
