The Ecology Cycle of Study probes the tangled web of interactions between living organisms, and between living organisms and the environment. This Cycle examines these interactions across trophic levels, and the roles each organism plays in a cycle of matter and flow of energy. Finally, we consider how humans have an influence on the Earth like nothing ever has: how human choose to use Earth’s natural resources will determine the fate of many species, including our own.
What You Will Learn
Ecosystems have many different forms on our planet, and you will learn about how they are structured and the roles organisms and resources play in those ecosystems. They way populations of organisms grow under certain conditions can be predicted, following certain patterns, but every system has its limits. You will learn that each ecosystem, and the Earth itself, has its own limit to how many organisms it can support.
Essential Questions
- How can you use a food web to predict changes in an ecosystem?
- How do matter and energy move through an ecosystem?
- What ways do populations grow?
- How should humans use resources to ensure we stay below the carrying capacity of the Earth?
Math Application