Before you can complete this assignment, you need to click here log in to Gizmos.
Use ISWAewiner as the username.
Select Biology B T3 as the class.
Select your name from the student list.
Select Gizmos.
Enter your password.
Your password is the first letter of first name, full last name, grade number
Example: KMartin12
Include hypens, spaces, Jr, etc, if you have multiple parts in your last name. Examples: KDuncan-Martin12, K Martin Duncan, Kmartin Duncan III12
Still need help? E-mail ewiner@k12insightwa.org
In order to complete this assignment, you will need to use the Prairie Ecosystem Gizmo. Click the link to open the Gizmo in a new tab.
A prairie is a flat or gently rolling grassland with few trees and can be found in parts of central united states and canada.
Common organisms in a prairie include prairie dogs, swift foxes, black footed ferrets, and various species of grasses.
In a prairie, the producers are the grasses, the primary consumer is the prairie dog.
The prairie dog is preyed upon by both the black-footed ferret and the swift fox.
Consider all of the living and non-living things in the prairie dog town. Categorize each item as biotic or abiotic.
Black Footed Ferret
Soil
Clouds
Grass
Water
Prairie Dog
Biotic Factors
Abiotic Factors
What are the starting populations in the gizmo?
Grass: tons
Prairie Dogs:
Ferrets:
Foxes:
Click Advance year 10 times.
On the DATA tab, look at the Bar graph and the Line graph.
Select the correct response:
The populations of all species .
Observe:
Remove ALL animals from the prairie by clicking the minus (–) button next to each animal many times. Click Advance year 20 times.
Grass by itself.
Predict:
If we were to remove half of the grass from the prairie due to a fire, then the prairie dog population would , the ferret population would , and the fox population would
Experiment:
Remove half of the grass by clicking the minus – button.
There should now be 2,000 tons of grass.
Click Advance year twice, and look at the Bar graph or the Line graph under the Data tab.
What happened to each population?
Grass:
Prairie Dog:
Ferret:
Fox:
Predict:
Complete this hypothesis with what you think will happen.
If half of the grass is removed from the prairie ecosystem, then the grass population will , the prairie dog population will , the ferret population will , and the fox population will after 20 years.
Results:
At the end of the experiment, what were the population numbers?
Grass: tons
Prairie Dogs:
Ferrets:
Foxes:
My hypothesis (prediction) was
Explain:
Which TWO pieces of evidence support this claim?
Claim: The prairie ecosystem was able to recover twenty years after the fire.
The Story of the Black-Footed Ferret:
Long ago, the black-footed ferret was a common sight on the prairie in the central united states. Due to habitat loss, disease, and a decline in the prairie dog populations (which are the ferret's primary prey), the black-footed ferret was placed on the endangered species list in 1967. In 1974, the black-footed ferret was thought to be extinct. A small population was found in Wyoming in 1981. In 1986, there were only 18 black-footed ferrets alive.
Create a hypothesis (prediction):
What do you think will happen if the black-footed ferret did become extinct in 1974?
If the black-footed ferret were to become extinct, then the grass population would, the prairie dog population would, and the fox population would.
Explain:
Why do you think your prediction is correct?
Experiment: Click Reset, and remove all the ferrets from the prairie dog town.
Click Advance year for 12 years.
Record your data.
Grass Population:
Prairie Dog Population:
Fox Population:
Reflect:
Why did the grass survive when all of the animals were removed from the prairie ecosystem (part 1) , but the grass did not survive when only ferrets were removed from the ecosystem (part 2)?
What were the ferrets providing for the ecosystem? Think about what role they play and how they affect other populations.
