Everything Life Sciences Grade 10

1. What effect does the environment (abiotic) have on the organisms (biotic) living there?
   Give FIVE specific examples from your profile. [For example: Lily pads (biotic) are
   able to grow in my area because it is a natural wetland that has standing, stagnant
   water (abiotic) all year long.]


2. What effect do the organisms (biotic) have on the environment (abiotic)? Give THREE
   specific examples from your profile. [For example: The area is heavily shaded by
   spruce trees (biotic). The shade keeps the soil moist (abiotic) and reduces the air
   temperature.]


3. How do natural forces affect the area? Give ONE specific example from your profile.
   Consider the direction of the prevailing winds, the direction from which the sun’s rays
   come, gravity (if you are on a slope) etc.


4. How have humans affected your area? Give ONE specific example.


5. Predict how your area would change if the amount of rainfall doubled. Be sure to
   mention how this increase in rainfall would affect the abiotic and biotic factors.

Investigation: Studying a terrestrial ecosystem

Aimand background information

Soil

The type of soil found in your ecosystem will have an influence on the types of plant that will

grow in that ecosystem. It is important to identify the types of soil found in your ecosystem

by doing the following soil tests.

Instructions

1. How to identify soil texture
   
   
   • Roll some wet soil into a ball.
   
   
   • Then try to roll the ball into a sausage shape.
   
   
   • Bend the sausage into a ring.
   
   
   
   

How to interpret your observations:

• if the sausage breaks as you bend it, the soil is sandy


• if the sausage bend slightly, and then breaks, the soil is loamy


• if the sausage bends easily the soil contains a lot of clay

2.How to measure pH

You will need the following materials:

• spoon


• water


• jar with a lid

274 9.5. Ecosystems