©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
BeAISAwareUnit Food Web Challenge
Doyoueverwonderhownon-nativeaquaticinvasivespeciescanimpactanaquaticfoodweb?
¿ GradeLevelMiddleSchool
¿ SubjectAreasLifeScience,EnvironmentalScience,Ecology,andHumanImpacts
¿ KeyTopicsEcosystems,foodchains/webs,producers,consumers,andaquaticinvasivespecies
¿ Duration
PreparationTime:30minActivityTime:60min
¿ SettingClassroom(Groupsof3-4)
¿ SkillsOrganizing;Interpreting;Applying
OverviewStudentscompletealakefoodwebchallenge,learnhowallorganismsin the lake ecosystem are interconnected, and explain how aquaticinvasivespeciescanimpactthefoodweb.
ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:• buildalakefoodweb.• explainhowaquaticinvasivespeciesimpactthelakefoodweb.• demonstratehowanecologicaldisturbancecanoccurinanecosystem.
MaterialsWarmUp• Computer,projector• Studentworksheets#1-2(double-sided)
Activity• Laminatedorprintedfoodwebcards(1fullset/group;includedinAISteachingtrunk)
• Scissorsorpapercutter• Colorpencilsormarkers(1set/group)• Glue/gluestick(1/group)• 2’x3’Posterpaper(1/group)
WrapUp• 4”x6”linedindexcardor8½”x11”wide-ruledpaper(1/group)• Alternatively,studentsmaycreateavideousingaChromebook/tablet
AdvancedPreparation• Laminatedcardsareincludedwiththeteachingmaterials.Ifyouprefertogluethecardsdown,printandpre-cutthefoodwebcardsfromthetemplate.
• Arrangeclassroomsothatthestudentscanworkingroupsof3-4.• Gathercoloredpencils,markers,glue,andposterpaper.• Priortoclass,pre-loadtheFoodWebChallengepresentationfoundontheassociatedthumbdriveoronourwebsite:https://flbs.umt.edu/newflbs/k12teachingmaterial
² StandardsNGSS&MTScienceStd.:MS-LS2-3:Developamodeltodescribethecyclingofmatterandflowofenergyamonglivingandnonlivingpartsofanecosystem.COREIDEA(S):LS2.B:CycleofMatterandEnergytransferinEcosystemsCROSSCUTTINGCONCEPT(S):EnergyandMatterCauseandEffectSCIENCE&ENGINEERINGPRACTICE(S):DevelopandUseModels
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
BackgroundAnecosystemisacommunityoforganismsthatallshareaparticularhabitatandinteractwitheachotherastheyworktosurvive.Theseorganismsareoftenorganizedintodifferenttrophiclevelsbaseduponhowtheyacquiretheirfoodenergy.Producersareorganismsthatcancreatetheirownfoodfrominorganic(non-living)chemicalsintheenvironment.Phytoplanktonaremicroscopicalgaefoundinlakes,rivers,streams,wetlands,andoceans.Planktonisderivedfromplanktos,whichmeans“towanderordrift.”Therefore,phytoplanktonareproducersoftenfounddriftingwherethereisabundantlightforphotosynthesis.Phytoplanktonusesunlighttoconvertwaterandcarbondioxideintosugarandoxygenthroughphotosynthesis.Thisoxygenandsugaristhenusedtomakechemicalenergyneededforsurvival.Incontrast,consumersareorganismsthatcannotmaketheirownfood.Theseorganismsmustfindandconsumetheirfoodfromtheirsurroundingenvironment.Zooplanktonareexamplesofprimaryconsumersthateatphytoplanktonastheydriftthroughthewater.Afoodchaindiagramisavisualrepresentationoftheflowoffoodenergythroughanecosystem.Typicalfoodchainsstartwithaproducerandarecomposedofatleastthreetypesoforganisms.Forexample,whenzooplanktoneatphytoplankton,theenergyfromthephytoplanktongoesintothezooplankton.Likewise,whenyoungtrouteatzooplanktontheenergyfromthezooplanktonandthephytoplanktoncollectivelygoesintothejuveniletroutpopulation.Thisfoodenergyisfurtherpassedonwhenlargerorganismssuchasadulttrout,osprey,orbaldeagleseatthejuveniletrout.Itisimportanttorememberthateventhoughwesimplifyafoodchaindiagrambydepictingoneindividualorganism,inrealitythisorganismrepresentsapopulationofthatorganisminaspecificecosystem.Afoodwebissimplyacollectionofinterwovenfoodchainsthatrepresenttheflowofenergythroughoutthesystem.Itisimportanttoexplainthatthefoodchainsandwebinthislessonareasmallrepresentationofthelargerwebthatexistsinthenaturalenvironment.Sinceproducersarethebaseorfoundationtoeveryfoodchainwithinanecosystem,therearetypicallymoreproducersthanconsumersinanygivenhabitat.FreshwaterlakesinNorthwesternMontanaareoftenfilledwithavarietyofphytoplankton,periphyton(slimyalgaeonrocksorothersurfaces),submergedvegetation,emergentaquaticplants(i.e.waterlilies),andwetlandplantsthatborderthelake.Theseproducerssupportawidevarietyofanimallifeinandaroundthelake.Theanimalsinthelakeecosystemcaneitherbefoundinthelakeoraroundthelake.Forexample,therearemanydifferenttypesofwaterfowl(e.g.,ducks,geese)andraptors(e.g.,osprey,eagles,hawks)thatfindtheirfoodin,ontopof,ornearthelake.Aquaticinvasivespecies(AIS)arenon-nativespeciesthatmaycauseenvironmentaland/oreconomicharmtoanecosystem.Aquaticinvasivespeciescanoftencreatephysicaland/orbiologicaldisturbancesthathavedrasticimpactsupontheentireecosystem.SomeAIScancreateanecologicaldisturbancethatimpactsestablishedfoodchainswithinanecosystem.ThestoryofMysisrelicta,afreshwatershrimp,anditsimpactinFlatheadLakeisawell-documentedexample.
CommonLakeFoodChaininN.W.Montana
ZOOPLANKTONPrimaryConsumer
PHYTOPLANKTONPrimaryProducer
JUVENILETROUTSecondaryConsumer
ADULTTROUTTertiaryConsumer
OSPREYQuaternaryConsumer
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
MysisshrimpwereintentionallyintroducedintolakesinNorthwestMontanawiththegoalofprovidingKokaneesalmonpopulationswithanewsourceoffood.TheseshrimpeventuallyfoundtheirwayintoFlatheadLake.Unfortunately,Kokaneearesightfeedersthathuntinthesurfacewatersofthelake;whereas,Mysisshrimphideinthedark,deepwatersduringthedayandonlycomeupatnighttofeedonzooplankton.Theseshrimpquicklybegantoeatthesmallerzooplankton(copepodsandDaphniasp.)thatwastheKokanee’sprimaryfoodsource.Inaddition,thenon-nativelaketroutfoundinFlatheadLakebegantoeattheshrimp,togetbigger,andtopreyupontheKokaneesalmon.Duetoadecreaseinfoodandanincreaseinpredators,theKokaneesalmonpopulationsimmediatelycollapsed.Subsequently,thebaldeaglepopulationsthatdependeduponthesefishasasourceoffoodalsodeclined.TheintroductionoftheshrimpcausedadramaticecologicaldisturbanceandalteredtheFlatheadLakefoodweb.Sinceinvasivezebraandquaggamusselseatthephytoplanktonatthebaseofouraquaticecosystems,theirintroductioncouldcauseamoredevastatingecologicaldisturbancethantheshrimp.PotentialFlatheadLakefoodwebinN.W.Montanaifzebramusselsareintroduced:
VocabularyCarnivore–Aconsumerthatonlyeatsotheranimals.Consumer–Anorganismthateatsorconsumesotherorganismstosurvive.Decomposer–Aconsumersuchasafungiorbacteriathatchemicallybreaksdownorganicmatter.Detritivore–Aconsumerthatorallyfeedsondetritus(deadordecomposingorganicmatter).Ecologicaldisturbance–Aneventintimethatdisruptsecosystem,community,orpopulationstructureandchangesresources,substrateavailability,orthephysicalenvironment.Ecosystem–Acommunityoforganismsandthenon-livingenvironmenttheyinhabit.FoodChain–Aseriesoforganismslinkedtogetherbythetransferoffoodenergyfromonepopulationoforganismstoanotherpopulationoforganisms.FoodWeb–Aseriesofinterlockingandindependentfoodchainsfoundinanecosystem.Herbivore–Aconsumerthatonlyeatsphotosyntheticplantsand/oralgae.Omnivore–Aconsumerthateatsbothplants/algaeandanimals.Producer–Anorganismthatcanuselightorchemicalenergytoproduceitsownfoodfrominorganic(non-living)substances(ex.plant,algae,orcyanobacteria)typicallyviaphotosynthesis.
Producers
Non-natives
NOTE:BesuretoexplainthatzebramusselsarenotcurrentlyfoundinFlatheadLake!
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
Procedure¿ WarmUp(20min.)
• Turnontheprojector,displaytheFoodWebChallengeslideshow,andpassoutthestudentworksheets.• Drawthefollowingchartontheboard:• Slide#2:Conducta30-secondbrainstormandhavethestudentswritedownwhattheythinkallplantsneedtosurvive.Ask4-5studentstosharetheiranswersandposttheanswersinthechartontheboard.
• Slide#3:Conducta30-secondbrainstormandhavethestudentswritedownwhattheythinkallanimalsneedtosurvive.Ask4-5studentstosharetheiranswersandposttheanswersinthechartontheboard.o Reviewthatallplantsandanimalsneedwater,energy/food,oxygen,aspacetolive,andtheabilityto
respondtotheirenvironment.Whilethesunservesasacriticalsourceofenergyforplants,plantsthemselveshelptodirectlyorindirectlyfeedanimalsineachecosystem.
• Slide#4:Studentsrecordoneobservationtheyhaveabouttheecosystemontheirworksheet.Ask1-2studentstosharetheirobservationstotheclass.
• Slide#5:Askstudentstorecordthemostabundanttypeoforganismtheyseeintheecosystem(plants).• Slide#6:Studentsexaminethebiomassdiagramandidentify/recordthegroupoforganismsthathasthemostbiomassglobally(plants).
• Slide#7:Studentslookatthecalculatedpercentofbiomassforeachgroup.o Reviewthat82%ofallbiomassonEarthismadeupofplants,17%isbacteria/fungi/protists/archaea,
whicharemostlymicroscopic,and0.3%iscomposedofanimals.• Slide#8:StudentsrecordoneSPECIFICreasonwhytheythinkplantsarethemostabundant.o Plantsarethefoundationofallecosystemsandsoweneedmoreofthemtosupportalllife.
• Slides#9-14:Briefly,reviewthedifferencebetweenproducersandconsumers.TheorganismsontheseslidesareallfoundintheTundraecosystem.
• Slide#15:Reviewwhatafoodchainis.• Slide#16.Readthetopof“UnderstandingaFoodChain”worksheetandreviewtheprovidedchain.o Studentsthenwriteonemorefoodchain(fromanyhabitat)ontheirpaper.Askstudentstoshare.o Conducta30-secondbrainstormandhavethestudentslistallthewaysthefoodchainintheexample
couldbenegativelyimpactedordisrupted.o Answersmayvary:flood,introducedspecies,aquaticinvasivespecies,toomanynutrientstothelake
(ex.eutrophicationcausesalgalbloomsthataretheneatenbybacteriainthewater,whichleadstolowoxygenconditionsinthelake),drought,pollution,etc.
• Slide#18:Usetheprovidedtundrafoodwebtoreviewwhatafoodwebis.• Slides#19-20:ExplainwhatanecologicaldisturbanceisandhowMysisshrimpcausedalocaldisturbance.
¿ Activity(25min.)• Passouttheglue/tape,markers,andonefoodwebcardsettoeachgroup.Displaythefoodwebchallengedirections(slide#21)andexplainthattheyhave25minutestocompletethefoodwebchallenge.
• Studentsidentifytheproducersintheweb,buildthefoodchains,organizethechainstobuildthefoodweb,havetheinstructorcheckthewebbeforetheycanglueortapeitdown,andlastlydrawthearrowsmovingupthroughtheweb.Note–ifusinglaminatedcards,seerecommendedmodificationsonthenextpage.
¿ WrapUp(15min.)• Aftertheybuildandlabeltheweb,theymustlabelthezebramusselcardasanaquaticinvasivespecies.• Studentswriteaparagraph(orcreateavideo)thatexplainshowthisspeciescouldimpactthelakefoodwebandpossiblycauseanecologicaldisturbance.Studentsmustidentifytheorganismsthatwouldbedirectlyimpactedbypredationoralossoffood.
Plants Animals
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
TeacherResourcesAssessmentOptionsHavestudents:• writeaparagraphorcreateavideoclipthatsummarizeshowthe
invasivemusselswouldimpactthelakefoodweb.• conductathinkaloudwithapartnertoexplainhowenergyflows
throughanecosystemandhowinvasivespeciescandisruptthefoodweb.
• conductresearchtolearnaboutadifferentaquaticorterrestrialhabitat,buildafoodwebforthathabitat,andidentifyaninvasivespeciesthatcouldpotentiallydisturbtheecosystem.
• designacauseandeffectposteraboutaspecificecologicaldisturbance.
Modifications• Ifthestudentshavealreadylearnedaboutfoodchains/webs,shorten
thewarmupactivitytoreviewtheconceptsasneeded.• Ifusingtheprovidedlaminatedcards,studentsmayarrangethemon
theposter,tracethecards,andwritetheorganismnamesintheboxes.Thiswillallowthecardstobeusedformultipleperiodsinoneday.
• Simplifythefoodwebbyremovingfoodchainsfromtheweb.• Enlargethefoodchaincardsandworksheetsasneeded.
ExtensionsStudentscan:• addinanotheraquaticinvasivespeciestothefoodwebactivityto
predicthowtheneworganismcouldimpactthefoodweb.• researchtraditionalNativeAmericanusesfororganismsfoundinthe
lakefoodwebandhowthosepracticeshavebeenimpactedbytheintroductionofnon-nativefishandotheraquaticinvasivespecies.
• createashortstoryfromtheperspectiveofanorganisminanecosystemthathasbeeninvadedbyanaquaticinvasivespecies.
BooksElton,C.S.(2000).TheEcologyofInvasionbyAnimalsandPlants(newed.).
Chicago,IL:UniversityofChicagoPress.Lockwood,J.L.,Hoopes,M.F.,&Marchetti,M.P.(2013).InvasionEcology
(2nded).WestSussex,UK:JohnWiley&Sons,Ltd.
OnlineResourcesMontanaFieldGuide:http://fieldguide.mt.gov/MontanaSciencePartnershipfoodwebandtrophiclevelswebsitecontainsinformationaboutaquaticmacroinvertebratesfoundinMontanastreams:http://www.sciencepartners.info/module-8-macroinvertebrates/insect-feeding-food-webs/food-webs-trophic-levels/
AcknowledgementsAllfoodwebimageswereillustratedbyHollyChurch.ManythankstoteachersfromBigfork,Somers,Polson,andWhitefishwhoprovidedfeedbackonthislesson.
Photocredit:MichaelPalmer(CCBY-SA4.0)
Adultmayfliesoftenemergeinlakesandstreamsduringthespringandfall.Theseaquaticinsectsserveasanimportantfoodsourcefornativefish.
Photocredit:GreatLakesEnvironmentalResearchLaboratory(publicdomain)
ZebraMusselsareanaquaticinvasivespeciesthatfilter-feedsonphytoplankton.Itcanattachtosurfaces,reproducequickly,andspreadthroughplanktoniclarvae.
Photocredit:HaraldOlsen(CCBY2.0)MysisrelictaisanaquaticinvasivespeciesthatwasintentionallyintroducedtosomelakesinMontana.
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
Thispageintentionallyleftblank.
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
Name WarmUp StudentWorksheet(1of2)Asyouviewtheprovidedpresentationanswerthefollowingquestions.30-secondbrainstorm…Whatdoallplantsneedtosurvive?30-secondbrainstorm…Whatdoallanimalsneedtosurvive?RecordONEobservationyouhaveabouttheNorthwestMontanaecosystem.Whatisthemostabundanttypeoforganismthatyouseeinthisecosystem? Examinethediagrambelow,whichgroupoforganismshastheMOSTbiomassworldwide?
GlobalPartitioningofBiomass
1gigaton(Gt)=1,000,000,000,000,000gramsor1015grams 1gram= Bar-Onetal.(2018),PNASWhydoyouthinkthatis?Provideonespecificreason.
FoodWebChallenge
©2019AISUnitcreatedbytheFlatheadLakeBiologicalStationandtheFlatheadLakers.FundedbytheMontanaDepartmentofNaturalResourcesandConservation,FLBS,andFlatheadLakers.
Name UnderstandingaFoodChain StudentWorksheet(2of2)
Afoodchaindiagramrepresentsthefoodenergythatflowsthroughanecosystem.Thesunprovidesenergyfortheproducers(plantsandalgae)tomaketheirownfoodthroughphotosynthesis.Theproducersarethebaseofthefoodchainandareeatenbymanyorganisms.Theproducersarecalledprimaryproducersbecausetheymaketheinitialsugarthattheentirefoodwebdependsupon.Aconsumerisanorganismthatcannotmakeitsownfood.Herbivoresareprimaryconsumersthateatplants.Omnivoresarebothprimaryconsumersthateatplantsandsecondaryconsumersthateatanimals.Carnivoresaretypicallysecondary,tertiary,orquaternaryconsumersthatonlyeatotheranimals.Belowisadiagramofafoodchainoftenfoundinthelakes,rivers,streams,andwetlandsinMontana.Noticethearrowsarepointedtotheanimalpopulationsthatareconsumingthefood.
BrainstormandwriteONEmorefoodchainbelow.Remember,allfoodchainsstartwithaproducerandusuallyhaveatleastTHREEtypesoforganisms. 30-secondbrainstorm…Listallofthewaysthefoodchainabovecouldbenegativelyimpactedordisrupted?
PERIPHYTONPrimaryProducer(Theslimygreenorbrownstuffonrocksinthelake)
TADPOLESNAILPrimaryConsumer COLUMBIAN
SPOTTEDFROG
SecondaryConsumer
GREATBLUEHERONTertiaryConsumer