Investigating the ecological niche of an organism using a fair test

This study is divided into two tasks.

Task 1: Select an aspect (or aspects) of the ecological niche to investigate

In this task you will gather and process information on the ecological niche of the organism from background reading and observations. The purpose of this task is to provide information that will enable you to develop a fair test investigation relating to an aspect of the ecological niche of your chosen organism.

Conditions:

The organism we have chosen for investigation is Porcellio scaber.
You have two weeks of class time to gather and process information about the ecological niche of P scaber.

Task 2: Carrying out the investigation

In this task you will independently investigate in detail, one particular aspect of the ecological niche of the chosen organism. This task requires the writing of a scientific report that introduces the aspect of the ecological niche being investigated and records details of the fair test investigation.

Conditions:

Milestone 1 must be complete by the end of Term 1
Milestone 2 must be complete by the end of Week 2 in Term 2
Milestone 3 must be complete by the end of Term 2
Milestone 4 must be complete by the end of Term 3

Your final report and logbook must be handed in for assessment.
Your teacher will give you the due date, well in advance.

You are required to keep a logbook.

* All ideas, rough notes, brainstorming, possible investigations, collection of data and observations, research and planning, failures, successes, tentative conclusions go into the logbook.
* It is your ‘rough’ copy and a working document. Its neatness is not important - its function is to record all findings, show your skills in investigation and to record the milestones for Task 2 that will be signed by your teacher. It will also be used to ensure authenticity and to support your final assessment for this achievement standard.
* All entries must be dated.
* It is from this logbook that you will write your formal report.

TASK 1 - INVESTIGATING THE ECOLOGICAL NICHE OF A NAMED ORGANISM

The ecological niche of an organism includes the physical conditions of the habitat (abiotic factors), the range of other organisms present (biotic factors) and how these link together to provide opportunities and threats for the organism. As well, the niche includes the adaptations that the organism has to allow it to exploit these opportunities and avoid the threats.
Examine the ecological niche of the organism to provide information that could be used as a starting point for the development of a fair test investigation.

(a) Habitat

Examine the habitat of the organism using quantitative and/or qualitative data for factors (biotic and abiotic) such as:
* temperature
* light intensity
* humidity
* soil/substrate type
* aspect
* exposure
* other organisms present
* density and age structure

(b) Adaptive Features

Examine the adaptive features of the organism using background information and your own observations and measurements. The adaptive features may be related to:
* movement
* gas exchange
* sensitivity
* reproduction
* excretion
* growth
* nutrition
* predators
* competition

Information on the ecological niche of the organism relevant to the aspect being investigated will later be written up to form the introduction section of your report. The introduction should be about one page in length.

TASK 2 - INVESTIGATING AN ASPECT OF THE ECOLOGICAL NICHE OF A NAMED ORGANISM

This task will form the main part of your Report.

Focusing and Planning

Using observations and information you have gathered in Task 1, select aspects of the organism’s niche for possible further investigation. The aspects of the ecological niche selected must be ones that are significant to the way of life of the organism. They must also provide you with the opportunity to develop and carry out an investigation that is appropriate to Year 13 Biology.

a) In your logbook record aspects of the ecological niche that could be investigated.
b) Formulate possible hypotheses for investigations relating to these aspects.
c) Record ideas of how you could investigate these hypotheses.

MILESTONE 1: Discuss your hypotheses and your ideas with your teacher.
Your teacher will sign your logbook.

d) Choose one hypothesis to investigate based on your discussion with your teacher.
e) Use the information collected in Task 1 to write a brief summary of the ecological niche of your organism focussing on the aspect you are investigating and why it is significant to the way of life of the organism. Include information relevant to the hypothesis you have chosen to investigate.
f) Initial method. Develop a step by step method for an investigation that will lead to a valid conclusion. Check that the equipment you want to use is available. You may need to trial some aspects of your investigation to ensure your method will be workable.

MILESTONE 2: Submit your initial method and logbook to your teacher for checking. Your teacher will sign your logbook.

Information Gathering

g) Carry out your investigation. Record all relevant raw data accurately and clearly. Make sure you collect sufficient data to allow you to draw a valid conclusion

MILESTONE 3: Evaluate the quality of the information gathered and its degree of relevance. Discuss this with your teacher. Your teacher will sign your logbook.

Processing and Interpreting Data

h) Systematically record and process your data in a way that is appropriate to the type of data you have collected.
i) Analyse your processed data to show trends, relationships or patterns relevant to your hypothesis. You are expected to use appropriate statistical procedures to establish the reliability of your data.
j) Write a conclusion for your investigation. This must link to your data and to your hypothesis.

MILESTONE 4: Discuss your analysis and conclusion with your teacher. Your teacher will sign your logbook.

Reporting

Using the information you have collated in your logbook, present your findings from Task 1 and 2 in a formal scientific report that includes the following sections:

* Introduction – a discussion of the ecological niche of your organism focussing on the aspect you investigated and why it is significant to the way of life of the organism. Include information relevant to the hypothesis you have investigated -Task 2 e).
* Hypothesis
* Final method
* Results
* recorded observations, measurements and data
* processed data showing a trend, relationship or pattern
* Conclusion
* analysis of processed data in terms of the purpose of the investigation
* Discussion
* outline the biological significance of the results and how they relate to the ecological niche of the organism
* Evaluation
* justify your investigation findings by:
* analysing the validity of the method. You could consider such things as sources of error, limitations, and/or bias
* statistical analysis of the reliability of the data
* Bibliography / References / Acknowledgements

Hand in your logbook with your report.