Modeling Change in the Physical Environment
An ecosystem diagram is a model. It can help illustrate how a disruption affects populations in an ecosystem.
Now use Arrange It. You will model how habitat loss—due to deforestation—affects the population of an apex predator like the fish eagle. You will also show the effects on other species in the ecosystem.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects
- The activity shows the short-term effects of this disruption. Longer term, you would expect even more change.
- With no apex predator to control them, populations of animals on land and in the water would grow. They would then begin to compete more and more for plants, insects, and smaller fish.
- This would eventually drive populations of these species down.
