Ecosystem Investigation

Student Slides 2022

Ecosystem Investigation Overview
Purpose: to investigate an interaction in the JIS ecosystem.

Steps in the process:

1. Record observations in the JIS ecosystem, including interactions you notice.

2. Choose and refine an appropriate research question about an interaction.
3. Choose appropriate data collection and sampling methods and plan an
observational study to investigate your question.
4. Use data analysis skills to write an argument that answers your research
question.
Interaction Description
1. Describe in detail the interaction you observed in the JIS ecosystem that you want to investigate.
2. Link to or add any relevant photos/video you may have collected.

There is a possible interaction between

sunlight and the small, leafy plants that
grow the tree roots.

I saw a big tree, whose roots were

sticking out of the ground. The roots were
tightly packed together, surrounded by a
lot of grass and there were small little
leafy plants which grew out of the roots.
This is usually unlike the trees i have seen
on campus. Some of the leaves were larger
than the others, it varied a lot. I wonder
how sunlight affects the growth of these
small plants.
Step 1: Dependent & Independent Variables
1. Choose one biotic factor to measure as your dependent variable.
2. Choose one biotic or abiotic factor that you want to measure as your independent variable, which may be
affecting the dependent variable.

Describe the biotic factor you will Tree roots that stick out of the ground (and have
measure: little/big leafy plants that grow on it.
Dependent
I will measure which part of the roots receives a lot or
Variable
little sunlight and how many leaf plants there are
Write what you will measure about it:
depending on the amount of sunlight it gets (does it
have more leafs/plants growing on it?).

Describe the biotic or abiotic factor The amount of sunlight (sunlight intensity)
you will measure or observe:
Independent
Variable
Write how you will measure or observe I will measure through an app on my phone, I will
it: measure how much of this sunlight falls on the
Step 2: Research Question and Sampling
Use the question starter below to create a specific question that you are interested in investigating:

“How does the sunlight intensity affect different parts of the roots?”

Research Question:

How does the sunlight intensity affect whether more or less leaf plants grows on parts
of the roots?

Summarize the sampling technique(s) you will use to investigate this question:
I will wrap a measuring tape around the tree, and use a quadrant and random sampling by using
the coordinates (random numbers). I will do this 20 times in order to get a sufficient amount of
samples.
Step 3: Investigation Planning
1. Use the Investigation
Planning Graphic
Organizer to create your
investigation plan.
Complete the plan on
paper. Online students:
make a copy of the
template for yourself to
edit, share with me, and
paste the link here.
2. Place a photo of the
planning sheet here.
3. If you need to, use the
Flowchart of lab protocols
to select a basic procedure
to measure biotic and
abiotic factors.
Step 3: Investigation Planning Sunlight for No. of Leaves in an Area

Sunlight Intensity (Lux) No. of Leaves

Data Collection: (Create a blank data table with title, headings, 1400 1
labels, and units in Google Sheets AND copy/paste it into this slide 32550 39

to show what data will be recorded.) 2440 4

33490 40
20500 19
208610 32
1190 1
21150 16
10700 13
20030 14
1400 2
4510 5
1240 1
20700 19
1300 1
32170 35
900 0
1500 1
5620 5
32950 39
 Step 3: Investigation Planning
Self-assess your investigation plan by describing how you created an observational study that
uses an appropriate sampling technique.
Standard: “Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation
types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are
followed.”

Learning Target: I can plan and conduct ecology investigations.

Strand: Investigating & Approaching Mastering

Communicating (I & C)

Student Self-Assessment:
I can plan and conduct an investigation, I am able to plan out various aspects of my experiment like the constants,
using appropriate sampling techniques.
my step-by-step plan and draw out a lap setup. I am also capable of
differentiating the IV and DV and listing out the safety concerns regarding
my investigation.

Teacher Feedback:
Step 4: Data Analysis & Display Sunlight for No. of Leaves in an Area

1. Process your data in Google Sheets. You can use the Data Analysis Sunlight Intensity (Lux) No. of Leaves
Summary to help you. 1400 1
2. Choose the best display(s) to represent the data. 32550 39
3. Paste your data display(s) in this slide. 2440 4
33490 40
20500 19
28610 32
1190 1
21150 16
10700 13
20030 14
1400 2
4510 5
1240 1
20700 19
1300 1
32170 35
900 0
1500 1
5620 5
32950 39
 Step 4: Data Analysis & Display
Describe how well you were able to collect and process your data appropriately.

Standard: “Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation

types, including fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are
followed.”

Learning Target: I can plan and conduct ecology investigations.

Strand: Investigating & Approaching Mastering

Communicating (I & C)

Student Self-Assessment:
I can plan and conduct an investigation, I am able to carry out my plan for this investigation effectively. I have
using appropriate sampling techniques.
properly understood various sampling techniques and am capable of
I can construct and use graphs and processing my data accurately through a data-specific graph. I am also able
tables to display and process data. to find appropriate names for my graphs and tables.

Teacher Feedback:
Step 5: Argumentation:
Choose how you will create your INDIVIDUAL argument. Options:
Written argument: Oral argument:
Weave your claim, evidence, and reasoning into an Display your data on your computer and give a live
argument that is 2-3 paragraphs long and typed into argument in class, including your claim, evidence
Slide 12. analysis, and reasoning, to answer your research
question.
 Step 5: Argument
Research Question: How does the sunlight intensity affect whether more or less leaves grows on parts of the roots?

Analysis of Evidence: From my table, you can see that the more sunlight a particular area receives, the higher the number of plants. For instance,
when the sunlight intensity is 1000-1500 lux, there is typically only 1 or 2 leafy plants at best. However when the sunlight intensity is 28000-32000
lux, you can see that there are around 32-40 plants. Additionally when looking at the quality of the leaves, it was found that the leaves that received
more sunlight tended to be larger and those area were more densely populated, whereas the opposite would have smaller, isolated leaves. However, the
quadrat used in this experiment was very large and may have affected how large the area sampled was. If smaller quadrats were used, then the
samples would have been more precise. Through the evidence above, you can see that there is clear pattern between these two variables.

Claim: The more sunlight (higher sunlight intensity) the particular area receives, the more leaves are grown there.

Reasoning: You can see in the scatterplot graph, when the points are plotted, they form into a some kind of line, meaning that as the sunlight intensity
increases in an area, the more leafs there are in that very area. Another reason the claim is true is because of the R² value which is 0.96. This value
which is extremely close to 1, meaning it is somewhere between a high positive correlation graph and perfect correlation graph. And as mentioned
above, areas that did not get much sunlight had far less leafy plants grown in those area, but the opposite occurred for plants receiving high intensity
sunlight. Additionally, it majority of plants go through process called photosynthesis. This is when a plants uses energy from sunlight to turn carbon
dioxide, soil nutrients and water into food. The more energy a plant has, the more they are able to grow. This would explain why plants receiving
direct sunlight are more likely to grow in those certain areas.

Sources Used: “How Sunlight Affects Plant Growth Experiment | Clearway Community Solar.” Clearway Community Solar, 25 Mar. 2019,
www.clearwaycommunitysolar.com/blog/science-center-home-experiments-for-kids/measuring-plant-growth-with-sunlight/. Accessed 30 May 2022.
 Step 5: Argumentation:
Describe how well your argument describes patterns in your evidence and uses them, along with scientific ideas, to
support a claim that answers your research question.

Standard: “Analyse patterns or relationships in data and use scientific understanding to identify relationships and draw conclusions
based on evidence.”

Learning Target: I can analyze data and use my scientific knowledge & understanding to make conclusions based on evidence.

Strand: Critical Thinking & Approaching Mastering

Problem Solving (CT & PS)

I can describe patterns in data to Student Self-Assessment:

predict characteristics of the larger I was able to describe the different patterns I observed in my table and graph. As well as make
population. accurate, research based claims and back this up/support my conclusions with relevant
reasoning/evidence.
I can draw logical conclusions based
on a range of evidence.
Teacher Feedback: Excellent work with the analysis, describing the patterns and using the trend
I can support my conclusions with
line, R squared value, and specific data points from the table and graph to strengthen the
scientific knowledge and
analysis. You looked at this data in multiple ways, well done. Reasoning uses your own ideas as
understanding.
well as those from a source to explain possible reasons why you could have obtained the
Learning Reflection
Date Reflection: What are your next steps?
Vocabulary:
Autotroph = Producer: an organism that makes its own food from energy and small molecules
Heterotroph = Consumer: an organism that must eat other organisms for food
-Herbivore: an organism that eats only plants
-Carnivore: an organism that eats only animals
-Omnivore: an organism that eats either plants or animals
-Decomposer: an organism that eats dead plants and animals
Ecosystem: all the biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem
-Abiotic factor: a nonliving part of an ecosystem
-Biotic factor: a living part of an ecosystem
Quadrat: an ecosystem sampling technique that uses a square of a set size to create a smaller space in which
samples can be taken.
Transect: an ecosystem sampling technique in which a measuring tape is used to mark a straight line across
an area being sampled. Data is collected at set intervals along the tape.
 Project Calendar
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

May 9 10 11 12 13
Investigation Planning Investigation Planning Data Collection Data Collection Data Collection

16 17 18 19 20
NO SCHOOL Data Collection Data Analysis & Display Data Analysis & Display NO CLASSES: 8TH GRADE
HOLIDAY DAY IN THE HS

23 24 25 26 27
Data Analysis & Display Writing Arguments Writing Arguments NO SCHOOL Writing Arguments &
Self-Assessment
Project due!

30 31 1 June 2 3
Writing Arguments & NO SCHOOL
Self-Assessment
Project due!