Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms that float in the ocean. They take in sunlight to make their own food.
Are phytoplankton considered to be producers or consumers?
Explain why phytoplankton are considered to be producers or consumers.
You will use the Simulation to investigate what happens to the soil and the organisms in an ecosystem when the nutrients are removed.
Our Investigation Question:
Why is the matter that makes up soil different in different places?
Directions: Investigating Soil in the Simulation
Login to the Sim by clicking the link below
https://learning.amplify.com/ecosystemrestoration/#/
Use the Simulation to investigate why the matter that makes up soil can be different when something changes in the ecosystem.
Try making different changes to the soil. Observe what happens to the soil and to the other organisms in the ecosystem.
Use the results of your investigation to answer the questions below.
There are two ways that you can change the soil. What happens if you remove the water from the soil (click the soil to remove the water)?
Sentence starter: If you remove the water from the soil, then _____________________
What happens if you remove the decomposers from the ecosystem (click the mushrooms to remove the decomposers)?
Sentence starter: If you remove the decomposers from the ecosystem, then _____________________
Based on what you observed in the Simulation, what do you think could make the soil different in one part of the rain forest than in another part?
Sentence starter: Soil can be different in parts of the rain forest because _____________________
Based on what we learned, do you have any new ideas about why the cecropia trees are not growing and thriving in the restoration project site?
Sentence starter: The cecropia trees are not growing and thriving in the restoration project site because _____________________
Source: Walk in the Woods
Re-read the text from Walk in the Woods. What makes some soil “rich”? Why is it important?
Source: Soil Observations
What did we notice about soil with decomposers (Soil A) in it compared to soil without decomposers (Soil B)?
We observed that soil with decomposers is _____________________ and soil without decomposers is _____________________.
Source: Ecosystem Restoration Simulation
When we removed decomposers from the simulation, what happened to the soil?
When we removed decomposers from the simulation, __________________
Check For Understanding
New Understanding About Soil: Write a one sentence summary of what we’ve learned from these sources to answer our question:
Why is the matter that makes up soil different in different places? Why does some soil have more nutrients?
Some soil have more nutrients because __________________
Based on the evidence you have gathered, why do you think there are more nutrients in soil with decomposers?
In the Simulation gif below, observe the energy flow between organisms in the Simulation and focus on the decomposers.
Check For Understanding
Based on what you observed, what do you think decomposers do with the matter that they break down?
Question: Why do you think the soil in the project area is different from the soil in the healthy rain forest ecosystem?
