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1E1_2013 Group 8 - Polar Region

Page history last edited by 2013class1e1group8 10 years, 11 months ago

POLAR REGION

    Names / Roles

  •  Jelene Lim                    / Leader
  • Christine Lastimosa      / Wiki Writer
  • Fong Zhi Qi                  / Researcher
  • Mary Rose Capellan      / Researcher

 

 Overview

In this section, include a brief description of the allocated ecosystem. You should include the following information:

  • Location of the ecosystem
  • The polar regions are the areas at the end of the Earth and also those surrounding it.  The polar region consists of the North and South Poles, with polar ice caps resting on the Arctic Ocean and Antartica.

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

  • Description of ecosystem
  •  Plants and animals in the polar regions are able to sustain life despite the harsh weather conditions but are facing environmental threats that limit their survival. The Arctic has more land which also has more animals than the Antarctic.
  • Biodiversity of ecosystem (richness of life in ecosystem)
  •  Compared to other ecosystems, the polar region does not have much animals that inhabit the area because of the extreme weather conditions. There is a large variety of vegetation but little similarity between the species in the  North region and South region. 

 

 

 


Physical Factors of the Polar Region

Search the Internet for information on the following physical factors in the allocated ecosystem. 

  • Light (Availability of sunlight in the Ecosystem)

  • The polar circles that is part of the polar region receives less sunlight due to less radiation. These areas either receive sunlight or shade 24 hours a day because of the earth's tilt. 

  • Temperature (Temperature of the Ecosystem)  

  • The Average temperature in January ranges about -40 to 0°C and during the winter season, the temperature can drop below n large parts of Arctic, a place in the Polar region. While, the Average temperature in July ranges about -10 to 10°C, and some other large areas exceeding the temperature of 30°C. 

  • Water (Water quality in the Ecosystem)

  • The water that are not frozen that are under the ice, are all sea-salt water which is not-drinkable.

  • Salinity (Freshwater or Seawater found in the Ecosystem)
  • Most of the water found unfrozen under all the ice, are mostly sea-salt water that are not for living thing to drink as the salt   level in it is too high that if we drink, it might harm our body. 

  • Air (Quality of air in the Ecosystem)

  • Air quality in the polar region is good enough for life to be sustained. Global warming plays a part in the air quality of the polar region. Currently, air pollutants generally travel from industries in the south northward to the Arctic, where pollution affects the climate in the Arctic. The reason for the potential boost in air quality is increased global rainfall, which many climate models predict will be a widespread result of global warming, said study leader at the University of Utah. 
  • "Precipitation is the atmosphere's single most efficient way of removing particulate pollution"~Timothy Garrett
  • Thus,  the changing climate in the Arctic could improve air quality in the polar region.
  • As frozen soil in the ground thaws, its organic contents begin to decay, releasing carbon dioxide which is a greenhouse gas.  
  • pH of the Environment (How Acidic or Alkaline the Ecosystem is) 

  • The pH level of the ecosystem is <5.5. 

  • Mineral Salts (Availability of nutrients and mineral salts in the Ecosystem) 

        One-third of the world's soil-bound carbon is in the Tundra. 


Classification of Living Organisms

Classify at least eight of the living organisms found in the allocated ecosystem into the categories below:

  1. Producers - Arctic Willow, Tufted Saxifrage
  2. Primary Consumers - Lemming, Arctic Hare, Arctic Cod
  3. Secondary Consumers - Arctic Fox, Seal, Ermine
  4. Tertiary Consumers - Polar Bear, Killer Whale
  5. Decomposers - Bacteria 

For each of the living organism, find a picture and write a short description on the organism. You may wish to include feeding habits, region in the ecosystem where it is normally found etc. 

 

Producers

 

Arctic Willow      

 

Its a tiny creeping willow which is adapted to live in harsh weather in the Arctic.

 

 

 

Tufted Saxifrage

 

Tufted saxifrage is a flower living commonly in the arctic, it appears further south in the mountainous areas.

 

 

 

Primary Consumers

 

Lemming

 

Lemming is a small rodent which is usually found in Arctic or near Arctic. They are animals that usually burrow themselves in the snow, which are called as the subniveal animals. They are also classified under the same family as the mice, rats, hamsters and gerbils.

 

 

 

Arctic Hare

 

Arctic Hare is a species of hare which only stores body fat in the summer. The arctic hare survives with a thick coat of fur and usually digs holes under the ground or snow to keep warm and sleep.

 

 

Arctic Cod

 

Arctic Cod, also known as the polar cod, is an arctic species of cod in the family called Gadidae

 

 

 

Secondary Consumers

 

 

Arctic Fox

 

The arctic fox also known as the snow fox or polar fox is native in the Arcic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is have adapted well in living in cold environments. It has a deep thick fur which is brown in summer and white in winter. The changing colour of the fur helps it to camouflage well within its surrounding.

 

 

Seal

 

 

Ermine

 

Ermine, also known as the stoat or the short-tailed weasel, its population have expanded since the 19th century because they do not receive any significant threats to its survival.

 

 

 

 

Tertiary Consumers

 

Polar Bear

 

A bear that lives in the arctic, it feeds on fishes and seals.

 

 

Killer Whale

 

The killer whale, also referred to the orca whale or the orca, is a toothed whale which belong to the family of the oceanic dolphin family. Killer whale is found in all oceans, from the Arctic and the Antarctic region to the tropical seas.

 

 

 

Decomposers

 

Bacteria

 

Bacteria, typically micrometers in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes and sizes, ranging from spheres to rods. 

 

  By makemegenius (Youtube)

The important points are until the 3 min point of the video.

Food Web 

Create a food web using at least eight of the living organisms listed above. You may wish to use Microsoft PowerPoint to create your food web. Save your food web as a picture. Finally copy and paste your picture in this section of your wiki. 

 

 

 

 


Interrelationship in Ecosystem  

Give at least one example for each of the following relationships in the ecosystem:

  1. Predator-Prey Relationship 

  •  A predator-prey relationship is the interrelationship between two organisms where the predator consumes the prey.   
  •  An example of a predator-prey relationship in the polar region is : Seal -> Polar Bear
  •  This shows that there is a transfer of energy from the seal to the polar bear. The polar bear is the predator while the seal is the prey.                                 
  • The polar bear consumes the seal to obtain energy to carry out life processes.

 

 Photo courtesy of waterproof expeditions 

 

 2. Parasitism

  • Parasitism is the interrelationship between two organisms of different species where one experiences benefits and the other one does not. In parasitism, one organism is the parasite.
  • The parasite benefits from the host.
  • An example of parasitism in the polar region is : A tick consuming the blood of a barren-ground caribou
  • The tick is the parasite while the barren-ground caribou is the host.
  • The tick (parasite) benefits from the barren-ground caribou as it gets energy from its blood.
  • Song on Parasitism

 By ParrMr (youtube)

3. Mutualism

  • Mutualism is the interrelationship between two organisms and there will be a "win-win" situation as both organisms benefit from each other.
  • An example of mutualism in the polar region is :  Lichen (plant) and a barren-ground caribou 
  • The caribou's waste is a form of fertilizer for the lichen and will help it to grow healthier and quicker. The lichens will allow the caribou to hide from its predators.

 Photo courtesy of skolai images

  • Another example of mutualism in the polar region is : An arctic fox and a polar bear
  • The arctic fox follows the polar bear and eats the leftover of what the polar bear had already eaten and hunted. The polar bear will sometimes eat the arctic fox when it is unable to find seals. 
  • Both populations of arctic foxes and polar bears will never decrease sharply because they help each other balance their populations. 

 

 

 

 


Useful Links  

Plagarism is a strongly discouraged.

 

Include the links of all websites you obtained information from to complete your ecology wiki. 

For example:

Wild World @ nationalgeographic.com ( http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/terrestrial.html ) 

 

 

 

 

 



Comments (18)

2013class1e1group8 said

at 10:55 am on Mar 17, 2013

I tried copying n paste the picture on the wiki but when i save the wiki, the picture disappear..why?

Mr Reuben Ng said

at 2:55 pm on Mar 18, 2013

That depends on the picture file. The wiki works with JPEG and GIF. Have you tried to save and insert?

2013class1e1group8 said

at 4:21 pm on Mar 18, 2013

Zhi qi did the food web in powerpoint, but when she tried to copy n paste n save, it disappear again.

Mr Reuben Ng said

at 9:49 pm on Mar 18, 2013

Why not try to print screen, crop in paint, save as JPEG, and insert picture?

2013class1e1group1 said

at 5:45 pm on Mar 18, 2013

nice video and pictures

2013class1e1group1 said

at 5:47 pm on Mar 18, 2013

I like the animals. They so cute

2013class1e1group8 said

at 3:51 pm on Mar 19, 2013

Thanks for ur compliments! We will be trying your solution, Thanks!

Mr Reuben Ng said

at 9:33 pm on Mar 22, 2013

Don't forget about the short descriptions of your organisms!

2013class1e1group8 said

at 5:46 pm on Mar 25, 2013

ok

2013class1e1group8 said

at 8:57 pm on Apr 4, 2013

Mr ng, i cannot find the ph level,quality of air and mineral salts availability in the wiki or any else where, can u help?

Mr Reuben Ng said

at 8:57 am on Apr 5, 2013

Polar regions also include tundra, so don't only search "arctic" and "polar regions"

2013class1e1group8 said

at 7:25 pm on Apr 6, 2013

Mr Ng, can u give me one more day? Until sunday night? Because i have trouble uploading picture on the wiki with my laptop and have to use my mum's laptop to upload and she would not be home with the laptop until tomorrow late afternoon

2013class1e1group8 said

at 8:39 pm on Apr 6, 2013

who is editing the page the same times as me?

2013class1e1group8 said

at 9:09 pm on Apr 6, 2013

I am christine editing since 8 30 pm?

2013class1e1group8 said

at 9:14 pm on Apr 6, 2013

Stop!

2013class1e1group8 said

at 9:14 pm on Apr 6, 2013

The colours i put dont changed!

2013class1e1group8 said

at 9:15 pm on Apr 6, 2013

Jelene here btw, i was editing for very long, then u keep changing the colour

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