Biology
Unit 7 - Investigating An Ecosystem
Starter:
What is a habitat?
A habitat is where a particular species lives.
What is an ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a particular geographical area where species
live and interact together.
What can damage an ecosystem?
Humans and different kinds of pollution.
What sort of damage can we see in an ecosystem?
Toxins travelling up the food chain, extinction of different
species etc.
ECOLOGICAL
SURVEYS
What do you already know?
You have already learned a lot
about Ecosystems and Habitats.
Why might we want to
investigate an Ecosystem?
To learn about the different
species living there and their
interactions with each other.
They also have only ONE season
Surveys:
• Ecological Surveys are used to
monitor the different species living in
a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Usually, they will also try to identify
the size of the population of a
particular species.
• Usually, surveys are carried out
periodically so that the populations of
species can be observed to determine
whether the species is being affected.
• If an increase or decrease is observed,
then further investigations will usually
be done to determine the cause.
Lets think:
If there is an increase in the population
of a species, what could cause this?
If there is a decrease in a species
population, what could cause this?
The species has found a new food
source, one of the species’ predators
has died out, an invasive species.
The species may have been affected
by pollution, their food source may
have died out, an invasive species be
having an effect.
Some nice videos!
Ecological Sampling
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=HLX76gdXgTA
SURVEY TECHNIQUES
The Quadrat
• Quadrats are squares of a
known size.
• These can be used in
grassland to count (for
example) the number of
flowers in a certain area.
• Transparent quadrats can
also be used on trees to
monitor moss and lichens.
Transect Method
• Let’s imagine we are in the
countryside and there is a path that
we walk along next to a lake.
• We can choose a few points on the
path and make a line perpendicular
to the path/lake.
• We can use quadrats to measure the
different species at different distance
intervals from the path/lake.
• These surveys are good for telling us
how different geographical features
affect wildlife.
Tullgren Funnel
• The Tullgren Funnel Method is used to
collect invertebrates – usually insects
- from a sample of soil or leaf litter.
• The soil/leaves are placed on a
mesh/gauze with a funnel and
collecting pot underneath.
• The light is turned on and the heat
causes the animals in the soil and
leaves to move away, meaning they
will fall through the holes and into
the collecting pot where they can be
counted.
The Pitfall Trap
• The Pitfall trap is normally used
to survey smaller animals that
roam on the ground.
• Usually, we dig a hole in the
ground and place a container
with some leaves and soil inside
it to catch the animal.
• There is also a raised cover over
the hole to keep the rain out so
that the animals do not drown.
The Sweep Net
• The Sweep Net is used with
tall grasses and plants.
• It is good for collecting
insects and monitoring the
effect of their populations on
plant life.
• After one or two sweeps, the
net should be emptied into a
container for analysis.
Sheet and beater method:
• The sheet and beater
method is very simple.
• Essentially, you place a
net/blanket under a plant or
tree and shake it to see
what falls out.
• The insects etc will fall into
the net and can be counted.
Pooter Method:
• The pooter method involves
sucking up small organisms
into a cup.
• One straw has a small gauze on
the end to stop you eating the
insects.
• This method is good for looking
at single organisms and making
biological drawings.
Monitoring Water species:
• To monitor species in water, we use
different kinds of nets.
• Drag net – used to get species
from the floor of the waterbody
• Dipping net – used in areas with
lots of plants to look at the species
living there.
• Plankton net – used to skim the
surface and open water to catch
species living there.
Laptop Task:
Using your laptop:
1) Identify some invasive species
that have been found in Hong
Kong
2) For each: What habitat do they
live in? What problems do they
create? Where can these species
likely be found in Hong Kong?
3) What sampling method would
you use to monitor the population
of the invasive species?
Make a Tweet!
• Summarize what you
learned today in about 20
words.
• Add the keywords as
#Hashtags
