Introduction to Ecosystems
Watch the video in order to answer this question
Video - The Magical Forest Directed by: Gavin Maxwell - TOP DOCUMENTARY FILMS
1. What is the relationship between the Truffle and the flying squirrel?
2. What do Truffles do for the soil? Why could the woodland not exist without it?
3. What do truffles do for the roots of the trees? What do the roots of trees do for the truffle?
4. What is the relationship between the swollen rivers and salmon?
5. Describe two benefits for Grizzlies who feed on salmon compared to bears who do not have this resources available to them?
6. Whatdo dead fish have to do with the forest preparing for winter?
7. How do deciduous and coniferous trees adapt to winter temps?
8. Compare how the grizzly and squirrel prepare/endure the winter.
9. How can a top predator like the Lynx survive in such a harsh winter environment?(what forms 80% of the Lynx diet?)
10. What type of vegetation do Snowshoe hares need?
11. What organism controls the patches of forest that the snowshoe hares need?
12. How does the change in canopy benefit the lynx? ( Why does the Lynx needs the caterpillar)
13. How do scientists measure the impact of the salmon run on the bear? How do they lure the bears in and why are they collecting hair?
14. What type of information can be obtained from Grizzly bear hair?
15. How does the forest benefit from Salmon?
16. How is Nitrogen spread throughout this ecosystem?
17. What is the purpose of taking a core sample of the tree? (what can be determined from tree rings?)
18. 85% of the tree composed of what type of nitrogen?
19. How does the fungus act as an underground welfare system?
20. Why do scientists call this forest the wood wide web?
21. The Game and Fish department noticed that some of the trees in the Boreal forest were dying due to the actions of the spruce moth (also known as silk bud catipillar). They plan on exterminating the caterpillar. What is your response to this approach?
22. During the 1980s, the trees in this Boreal forest experienced less growth than today. True or false?
23. Compare and contrast adaptions of the flying squirrel to the Grizzly Bear in preparation for winter.
24. The Trophic level of an organism is defined as the position it occupies in a food chain. Describe how each organism fits into the trophic levels in the Boreal Forest and their "role" in the ecosystem
a. Flying Squirrel
b. Lynx
c. Truffle
d. Grizzly Bear
e. Salmon
f. Silk Bud Catipillar (Spruce moth)
g. Conifer trees
h. Snowshoe Hare
25. Widllife managers have observed that the Lynx has drastically decreased in numbers in the Borreal forest. Provide three reasons that might explain this.