In this assignment, you will be creating a trophic pyramid, also known as an “ecological pyramid,” for a specific ecosystem, using the “Trophic Pyramid” template

In this assignment, you will be creating a trophic pyramid, also known as an “ecological pyramid,” for a specific ecosystem, using the “Trophic Pyramid” template

Details:

In this assignment, you will be creating a trophic pyramid, also known as an “ecological pyramid,” for a specific ecosystem, using the “Trophic Pyramid” template located in the Biome Explorer at

.gcumedia.com/bio220/biome-explorer/v2.1/index.html”>http://lc.gcumedia.com/bio220/biome-explorer/v2.1/index.html. Your completed trophic pyramid will be used to identify the trophic levels within the food web, as well as their effects on the ecosystem. To complete this assignment, do the following:

1. Select an ecosystem from an area of interest to you. When choosing an ecosystem, be specific. For help differentiating between biomes and ecosystems, review “Biomes, Ecosystems, and Trophic Levels.

2.Utilize credible sources to select and research your chosen ecosystem, including the textbook and the Internet (specifically, you may find the World Biomes page located at .blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm”>http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/world_biomes.htm helpful).

3.When researching your selected ecosystem, give special attention to the plant and animals species that inhabit that ecosystem. This information will be used to design the ecological pyramid.

4.Refer to the “Trophic Pyramid.” You will complete this template by entering the names of the species that belong to the various trophic levels (Apex predator, tertiary consumers, secondary consumers, primary consumers, and primary producers).

5.Refer to the text for further information and an explanation of trophic levels.

Using your completed trophic pyramid, answer the following questions in a Word document of at least 250-500 words:

1. Of the primary producers you selected, which one do you think has the biggest impact on the ecosystem you researched? Explain.

2.”What species did you select for the apex predator? Explain the importance the apex predator’s impact on the other species in your tropic pyramid.

3.How did the amount of energy gained compare to the amount of energy lost as heat at the 2nd–4th trophic levels?

4.Referring to your completed trophic pyramid template, select one species. If this species was removed from your trophic pyramid, what would be the impact on the other species of the ecosystem?

5.Can efforts to save a species from extinction be successful if the focus of preservation is only on that species? Explain your answer

6.Considering the amount of energy required in producing animal-based foods and goods, should humans change their habits so they consume products closer to the bottom of the trophic pyramid? Provide rationale for your response.

This assignment requires a minimum of two references to be included.

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore, students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria and expectations for successful completion of the assignment.

You are required to submit the short answer portion of this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.

Submit both the Trophic Pyramid and Word document to the instructor.

Biomes

Biomes are global geographical areas that share similar climatic conditions.

Examples of biomes include rain forests, tropical forests, tundra, grasslands, and deserts.

Ecosystems

Biomes contain ecosystems, which are comprised of the living and nonliving components that occupy an environment.

Examples of ecosystems include coral reefs and ponds, tidal zones, oceans, coral reefs, kelp forests, alpine meadows, and the Arctic and Antarctic Ocean.

Ecosystems consist of various trophic levels, which comprise complex networks of food chains called food webs. The more diverse an ecosystem, the healthier and more feasible it is.

Differentiating the Two

The grasslands are a kind of biome, while the African savanna or the Brazilian credo are both ecosystems found within the grassland biome.

Tidal zones, Eastern Pacific Ocean, Pacific Northwest tidal zones, and Puget Sound tidal zones are all specific ecosystems within the marine biome.

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CLASS

Discussion Questions (DQ)

Initial responses to the DQ should address all components of the questions asked, include a minimum of one scholarly source, and be at least 250 words.

Successful responses are substantive (i.e., add something new to the discussion, engage others in the discussion, well-developed idea) and include at least one scholarly source.

One or two sentence responses, simple statements of agreement or “good post,” and responses that are off-topic will not count as substantive. Substantive responses should be at least 150 words.

I encourage you to incorporate the readings from the week (as applicable) into your responses.

Weekly Participation

Your initial responses to the mandatory DQ do not count toward participation and are graded separately.

In addition to the DQ responses, you must post at least one reply to peers (or me) on three separate days, for a total of three replies.

Participation posts do not require a scholarly source/citation (unless you cite someone else’s work).

Part of your weekly participation includes viewing the weekly announcement and attesting to watching it in the comments. These announcements are made to ensure you understand everything that is due during the week.

APA Format and Writing Quality

Familiarize yourself with APA format and practice using it correctly. It is used for most writing assignments for your degree. Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for APA paper templates, citation examples, tips, etc. Points will be deducted for poor use of APA format or absence of APA format (if required).

Cite all sources of information! When in doubt, cite the source. Paraphrasing also requires a citation.

I highly recommend using the APA Publication Manual, 6th edition.

Use of Direct Quotes

I discourage overutilization of direct quotes in DQs and assignments at the Masters’ level and deduct points accordingly.

As Masters’ level students, it is important that you be able to critically analyze and interpret information from journal articles and other resources. Simply restating someone else’s words does not demonstrate an understanding of the content or critical analysis of the content.

It is best to paraphrase content and cite your source.

LopesWrite Policy

For assignments that need to be submitted to LopesWrite, please be sure you have received your report and Similarity Index (SI) percentage BEFORE you do a “final submit” to me.

Once you have received your report, please review it. This report will show you grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors that can easily be fixed. Take the extra few minutes to review instead of getting counted off for these mistakes.

Review your similarities. Did you forget to cite something? Did you not paraphrase well enough? Is your paper made up of someone else’s thoughts more than your own?

Visit the Writing Center in the Student Success Center, under the Resources tab in LoudCloud for tips on improving your paper and SI score.

Late Policy

The university’s policy on late assignments is 10% penalty PER DAY LATE. This also applies to late DQ replies.

Please communicate with me if you anticipate having to submit an assignment late. I am happy to be flexible, with advance notice. We may be able to work out an extension based on extenuating circumstances.

If you do not communicate with me before submitting an assignment late, the GCU late policy will be in effect.

I do not accept assignments that are two or more weeks late unless we have worked out an extension.

As per policy, no assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Any assignment submitted after midnight on the last day of class will not be accepted for grading.

Communication

Communication is so very important. There are multiple ways to communicate with me:

Questions to Instructor Forum: This is a great place to ask course content or assignment questions. If you have a question, there is a good chance one of your peers does as well. This is a public forum for the class.

Individual Forum: This is a private forum to ask me questions or send me messages. This will be checked at least once every 24 hours.