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Learning Target
(HS-LS2-4) I can use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling
of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.
Guiding Question
How are matter and energy transferred in an ecosystem?
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● Gloves (optional) ● Toothpicks ● Tweezers ● Poster chart for sorting
Directions:
1. Put your gloves on (this is optional).
2. Unwrap the owl pellet and place it on the plate/tray.
3. Carefully start to dissect the owl pellet.
a. Use your fingers first, as the toothpick or tweezers might damage the bones!
4. Extract the bones and place them carefully on the napkin. Place similar bones together.
5. Put the excess feathers/fur on the side (this will be thrown away).
6. Once you have extracted all the bones, look at the charts to help you identify the bones.
a. NOTE: some bones might be broken and difficult to identify, just try your best!
b. To help you identify the type of organism, use the ruler to measure the jaw bones.
c. Organize the bones by placing them on the chart under the corresponding name of the organism.
7. Once you have identified all the organisms from your owl pellet, estimate the total
number of each organism you have and enter that data under “# found” in Table 1.
a. Ex: if you have 2 mouse jaws, then that is 2 mice. If you have 6 rat hip bones, then you have 3 rats.
8. Calculations: Open the link for the Google Sheet, it will ask you to make a copy.
a. Enter the same data under “# found”. Your data will auto-calculate. Then fill in the rest of Table 1.
b. Enter the data for the biomass of your organisms in Table 2 below.
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2. What did you notice about your owl’s diet?
My owl ate mostly voles that day and it ate the entirety of the two voles. Im sure it had
other things like a rat but it decided to eat voles for that meal.
3. Did you find a complete skeleton? Explain two reasons why you may not find a whole
skeleton in one owl pellet.
I think I found most of two skeletons, there were two vole skulls in my owl pellet and
many little bones. One reason I might not find a whole skeleton in one pellet is
because it’s possible the owl didn’t eat the whole animal, it could have gotten full or
interrupted while eating. Another reason I might not find a whole skeleton in one
pellet is because maybe it ate most of the animal at one time and the rest later, this
might cause the bones to be separated into two pellets.
4. Other types of birds form pellets. What would you expect to find in the pellet of a
seagull?
I would expect to find fish bones, trash, and maybe things like seaweed or sticks in a
seagull pellet.
5. How many animals found in owl pellets were herbivores? Omnivores? Carnivores?
I believe most are herbivores like voles, while others can be omnivores like rats.
6. How would an organism that is considered prey, benefit from a top predator?
It’s possible that the prey's main predator is the top predator's meal of choice, this can
benefit the organism because its main predator is eaten by the top predator.
7. Which trophic level gains the most amount of energy? Explain why.
The producer's level of the trophic pyramid gains the most amount of energy. The
producer level creates their own food and gets 100% of the energy from it.
Guiding Question
How are matter and energy transferred in an ecosystem?
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1 Concerns (2) Goal Achieved (3) Exceeded Mastery (4)
(Similar to a C) (Similar to a B or B+) (Similar to an A or A+)
IMPORTANT! Any information used that is NOT learned from class MUST be cited or
you will have to redo the assignment! You must use YOUR OWN WORDS.
Required Vocabulary: If you do not use ALL of the Score 2 words you will get NO CREDIT.