SCIENCE+WORK

__ DISCUSSION: __ Plants found in Altona Coastal Park: || Animals found in Altona Coastal Park: || || || || || ||
 * NAME OF PLANT || WHAT IT EATS || WHAT EATS IT || PICTURE ||
 * Shrubby Glasswort ( Tecticornia Arbuscula) || It is a producer || Caterpillars, some birds and ants || [[image:180px-Tecticornia_arbuscula_---_shrubby_glasswort.jpg]] ||
 * White Mangrove || It is a producer || Some birds, fish, water snails and caterpillars ||
 * NAME OF ANIMAL || WHAT IT EATS || WHAT EATS IT || HERBIVORE, CARNIVORE OR OMNIVORE? || PICTURE ||
 * Orange-bellied Parrot || Seeds and berries from shrubs and trees || Feral cats, foxes, tiger snake || herbivore ||
 * Tiger snake || Birds, mice, rats, small animals || Vultures, hawks, eagles, kytes and falcons || carnivore ||
 * Pelicans || Fish, amphibians and small birds || Feral cats, foxes || carnivore ||
 * Blue Wrens || Ants, grasshoppers, flies, seeds, flowers, fruit || Feral cats, foxes, tiger snake, pelicans || omnivore ||
 * Ants || Fungus, leaves, seeds, food scraps || Birds, orange-bellied parrot || herbivore ||
 * Grey Teal || Algae, water plants (White Mangrove), food scraps || Tiger snake, feral cats, foxes || herbivore ||
 * Ibis || Crustaceans ( insects) || Feral cats, foxes || omnivore || [[image:ibis.jpg]] ||

C) Which organisms are producers?   Shrubby Glasswort (Tecticornia Arbuscula) White Mangroves Algae

D) Identify all consumers as either first, second or third order   Grey teal – first order consumer Orange-bellied parrot – first order consumer Ants – first order consumer Fish – first order consumer Blue wrens – second order consumer Ibis – second order consumer Tiger snake – third order consumer Pelican – third order consumer

E) Are any of your organisms omnivores, herbivores and carnivores?   OMNIVORES: blue wrens, ibis HERBIVORES: orange-bellied parrot, ants, grey teal CARNIVORES: tiger snakes, pelicans

F) Which organisms are predators?   Blue wrens, ibis, tiger snakes and pelicans.

G) Which organisms are prey?   Grey teal, orange-bellied parrot, ants and fish.

H) Which organisms are competing for the same food?   Tiger snake and Pelican: (blue wrens, grey teal and orange-bellied parrot) Ibis and blue wrens (ants) Grey teal and Fish (algae) Grey Teal, Orange-bellied Parrots, Fish and Ants (White Mangroves) Ants and Orange-bellied Parrots (Shrubby Glasswort)

I) What would happen to the producers if the number of first order consumers [i] increased – The producers would need to produce more food if the number of first order consumers increased. This could also lead to some producers dieing out because there is too many first order consumers to feed.  [ii] decreased – The producers would thrive and grow more if the number of first-order consumers decreased because there would be less to feed.   J)  What would happen to the ecosystem if the second-order consumers became extinct? If the second-order consumers become extinct, the third-order consumers would lose food sources and be forced to eat only first-order consumers. The first-order consumers would lose some predators but gain some very dangerous ones.

K) What are some of the decomposers in your ecosystem?   Algae and ants are decomposers in Altona Coastal Park.

L) Choose one of your consumers. Predict what would happen if the population changed in size? (increase or decrease)   TIGER SNAKE: population increase. If the tiger snake population increased there would be more food consumed. This could lead to the extinction of the second-order consumers in Altona Coastal Park; making the first-order consumers the main food source. It could put a lot of pressure on the ecosystem and make it hard to reproduce species that the tiger snakes prey on.

M) What is an introduced species? Are there any in your ecosystem?   An introduced species is a species that has been introduced to a certain area and is not native to that particular area.

N) What is biological control? Are there any in your ecosystem?   Biological control is the control of pests or diseases by interfering with their ecosystem. There is no biological control underway at Altona Coastal Park.

__ CONCLUSION: __ In conclusion to this report I have discovered that Altona Coastal Park is very diverse and can withstand severe weather conditions. I have learnt more about the ecosystem and been able to construct food webs and chains as a result of my findings.

I have enjoyed learning about the ecosystems in our community. I found this task a little bit challenging, which was good because it made me work harder to finish on time. I was a little bit confused with some of the questions but with the help of my group members and teachers I was able to complete the tasks.

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