Begin by selecting a freshwater or marine aquatic ecosystem as a model for your food web. Be specific. Choose a specific lake. Or, if you choose an ocean ecosystem, identify its geographical area and depth. Keep in mind that deep-sea organisms live in a completely different environment than surface aquatic organisms. Next, conduct research on the following conditions in the ecosystem you chose. They influence the types of organisms that can live there. geographical features temperature depth/light availability salinity pH unique features that contribute to the ecosystem, such as other bodies of water that connect to it, unusual chemistry, and climate Using the information you gathered, write a paragraph that describes conditions in the ecosystem.

Explanation:

Modeling a Food Web

In this activity, you will build a model of a food web in a specific aquatic ecosystem. You will then use the model to explain what can happen to the competition in the ecosystem if environmental factors change because of natural factors and human interference.

Total time: 2 to 3 hours

You will need these materials:

paper

a pen or a pencil

word-processing or graphic-design software

Part A

Begin by selecting a freshwater or marine aquatic ecosystem as a model for your food web. Be specific. Choose a specific lake. Or, if you choose an ocean ecosystem, identify its geographical area and depth. Keep in mind that deep-sea organisms live in a completely different environment than surface aquatic organisms.

Next, conduct research on the following conditions in the ecosystem you chose. They influence the types of organisms that can live there.

geographical features

temperature

depth/light availability

salinity

pH

unique features that contribute to the ecosystem, such as other bodies of water that connect to it, unusual chemistry, and climate

Using the information you gathered, write a paragraph that describes conditions in the ecosystem.