PROCEDURES:
Part
I:
Give students the following definition of an ecosystem:
An ecosystem consists of populations of plants and animals living in an area that interact with each other as well as with their non-living or physical environment.
Ask students to give examples of ecosystems in the Pinelands (examples: pine plains, cedar bogs, a pond, a stream, a blueberry field, a cranberry bog, a lake).
Does the school property constitute an ecosystem? Students should answer yes to this question, supporting their answer with examples of the plants and animals found in the area and how they interact. Students should also be aware of the effects of the physical environment of the school property (buildings, soil type, temperature, moisture) on the local ecosystem.
Part
II:
For
each population of animals or plants in an ecosystem, there is a maximum
population that can be supported. The maximum population of a given species
that can be supported indefinitely under a given set of environmental
conditions is called the carrying capacity. Discuss with the students
the elements that can influence carrying capacity (supply of food, water,
air, shelter, space). Since an increase in the members of a species demands
an increase in the above finite elements, ecosystems can often reach a
point where there are not enough resources to support the species population.
At this point, the species has exceeded the carrying capacity. Discuss
with students the effects on a population of a species when it has exceeded
the carrying capacity of its ecosystem (members die due to disease, starvation,
exposure, drought, or move to other areas where there may be less pressure
on the available resources). Ask students if the concept of carrying capacity
can be applied to humans. Discuss areas of the world where human population
has exceeded the ecosystems carrying capacity, and the effect this has
had on the human population of that area.
EVALUATION:
Have students complete the "Population Dynamics Worksheet" using the "Deer Distribution Map" and the "Land Area, Forage, and Deer Distribution Chart". Check answers for mathematical correctness. Be sure that all oral answers provided by students are accurate, and display an understanding of the concepts of an ecosystem and carrying capacity.
Follow Up Activities:
1.Have students research and report on problems caused by overpopulation of White-tailed Deer in the areas in which they live. Have students look at various ways that are proposed to control the population of deer.
2. Have students discuss or report on problems caused by the overpopulation of other animals besides deer. (Example: Beaver dams flooding agricultural areas, restricting water flow to crops, or beaver damage to trees)
This lesson will introduce the students to the following vocabulary words:(Click on a word to see its definition-use your browser's BACK button to return to this page)
abiotic environment, acre, carrying capacity, ecosystem, food pyramid, forage, population, species
Science standards:
5.1-All students will learn to identify systems of interacting components and understand how their interactions combine to produce the overall behavior of the system.
5.5-All students will integrate mathematics as a tool for problem solving in science and as a means of expressing and/or modeling scientific theories.
5.6-All students will gain an understanding of the structure, characteristics, and basic needs of organisms.
5.7-All students will investigate the diversity of life.
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