WGBH CPB
How Disruptions Affect Animal Populations

What Drives Ecosystem Changes?

Composite image of three photographs.
Composite image made up of three photographs that represent the types of disruptions featured in the lesson: a burning forest, the scientist who infected rabbits, and a stuffed stoat.

Changes to an ecosystem can have an impact on the populations that live in it. Sometimes these changes are physical. These have an impact on the nonliving elements that make up an organism’s habitat. Other times, changes are biological. This means that living things, like plants and animals, upset the balance of an ecosystem.

 

what you'll do

During this lesson:

  • You will learn about three species that Joel has chosen to photograph. These animals have been around for millions of years but are now close to extinction.
  • You will learn about the changes in their ecosystems that are driving down their numbers.
  • You will also see how the effects of these changes can in turn have an impact on other parts of their ecosystems.

At the end of the lesson:

  • You will use evidence you’ve collected during the lesson to complete an assignment.
  • You will demonstrate what you’ve learned about how changes to ecosystems can affect the populations of animals living there.