Professional Documents
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Name:GalileaPatricio DueDate:October12,2014
ArticleTitle:EcosystemsontheBrink
Author/Source:CarlZimmer
Whilereadingthearticle,highlightwordsorphrasesthatrequiredefinitionsor
clarifications
WhataretheAUTHORsmajorideas,conceptsorkeypoints?
A:Listthemajorideas,conceptsorkeypointspointbypointExample:
12largemouthbassdepositedinPeterLakebyagroupofscientistsandgraduate
students.
repeatedin200915morebass
Cyclingofthelakeandtheseasonscontinuedonnormally.
summer2010previousdominantpredators(minnows,pumpkinseeds,
andothersmallfish)wererareeatenbythelargemouthbass.
remaininghidinshallowwater
lossofdominantpredatorsresultedinachainreaction.
smallfishpreywaterfleasadothersmallorganismsflourished.
flourishedorganismsatethealgaelakewaterbecameclearer
alteredstateofthelakeremainstothisday.
foodwebhaschanged.
scientiststurnfoodwebsintomathematicalmodels.
equationofonespeciesgrowthlinkbetweenreproductiverateandhow
muchfooditisabletoobtainandhowoftenitgetseatenbyotheranimals.
solvingequationsisoverwhelmingvariablesconstantlychange.
preventionoffoodwebswitchingmoreeffectivethanrestoringonesthathave.
Carpenterandcolleaguesaredevelopingearlywarningsystem.
revealswitchinecosystems
pullbackfromtippingpoint.
B:SummarizetheAUTHORsmainpointorideaatLEAST12paragraphs
Example:SummaryofAuthorsMainPoints:
The introduction of the largemouth bass into Peter lake caused the food web of the
ecosystem to switch. The dominant predators, minnows, pumpkinseeds, and other small
fish, in the lake were eaten by the bass which led to a chain reaction of organism control
within the lake. Water fleas and other small organisms in the lake were controlled by the
dominant predators mainly the small fish. Without the predators the water fleas were able
to feast on the algae causing the lake water to become clear. This caused the food chain to
switch. Scientists then turned the food webs in to mathematical models, creating an
equation that consisted of the reproductive rate, how much an organism was able to
acquire food, and how often it got eaten by another animal. A scientist, Carpenter, along
with some colleagues developed an early warning system that would reveal any switches
intheecosystemaswellasapullingbackpointtopreventit.
C:Writeareactionparagraphtothearticlestatingyourownthoughtsonthetopic,
usingspecificcitationsfromthearticletosupportyourviewsExample:MyOwn
ThoughtsontheTopic
The fact that scientists have developed and are able to prevent food web switches
is fascinating. This earlywarning system will allow scientists to prevent any changes that
might affect the ecosystem. I find this system quite interesting because scientists can and
are able to control an entire ecosystem by monitoring something as complex as a food
web which involves many species interacting with one another in a same area at the same
time. The early warning system is important not only to prevent food web switches but also
tomonitororganismsintheirhabitatinamorepreciseandaccuratemanner.
SoWhat?
introducedspeciesorotherfactors
canswitchfoodwebs.
SaysWho?
ecologistStephenCarpenterfrom
theUniversityofWisconsin.
Whatif..?
theearlywarningsystemweretofail
orbeinaccurate.
WhatDoesThisRemindMeOf?
sizesoflakesthatarechanging.