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EXPLORING TROPHIC CASCADES​ - HHMI Click and Learn ~home edition

Go to ​http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/exploring-trophic-cascades

Ecosystems are comprised of a community of organisms and their physical

environment. Ecologists study the interactions among these organisms and the
factors that affect organisms’ distribution. The structure of an ecosystem can be
represented by a pyramid made up of trophic levels such that producers are on the
bottom, followed by primary consumers, secondary consumers, and so on.

This Click & Learn illustrates examples of what can happen when the top of the pyramid changes.

PART 1: Click on the Kelp Example​ ​(top menu bar)

1. Explain what the negative symbol ⊝ on the diagram means.

2. What do sea otters eat?

What do urchins eat?

3. What happened to the sea otters during the 1800s?

4. As a result, what happened to the urchin populations and to the kelp population?

5. Explain what is meant by the “top-down” effect that predators have on the ecosystem.

6. What does a dashed arrow mean on the diagram?

7. What does a positive symbol ⊕ mean?

8. ​Glaucous-winged Gull

What do the gulls primarily consume?

What happened to the diet of the Glaucous-winged gull when the otters disappeared?

9. ​Bald Eagle

What do bald eagles specialize in eating?

What else can they eat?

What happened to their diet when the otters disappeared?

10. How does the story of the sea otter illustrate an example of a ​TROPHIC CASCADE​?

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Part 2 - Case Studies
Click on “case studies” in the top menu. You will do each one of these and answer questions.

Arctic Tundra

11. Complete the table below on the tundra:

Positive + or Negative - Direct or Indirect

Foxes → seabirds

Seabirds → soil nutrients

Soil nutrients → grass

Foxes → grass

12. Summarize what happened to the arctic landscape when foxes were introduced. What changed?

Midwestern Lake

13. Complete the table

Positive + or Negative - Direct or Indirect

Bass fish → minnows

Minnows → zooplankton

Zooplankton → phytoplankton

Phytoplankton → carbon influx

Bass → carbon influx

14. Summarize what happened to the lake ecosystem when bass were removed. Describe the appearance of the lakes in
this example.

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African Savanna

15. What is rinderpest? Why would the government institute a vaccination program?

16. Complete the table:

Positive + or Negative - Direct or Indirect

Rinderpest → wildebeest

Wildebeest → vegetation

Vegetation → fire

Rinderpest → fire

17. Which graph illustrates the eradication of rinderpest?

A B

18. Summarize the effect of the vaccination program on the ecosystem.

Venezuelan Jungle

19. Complete the table:

Positive + or Negative - Direct or Indirect

Predators → Herbivores

Herbivores → Vegetation

Carnivores → Vegetation

20. Summarize the effect predators have on jungle ecosystems.

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