Creating a Trophic Cascade
As you have learned, there are a lot of factors that make a marine animal suited to its environment. For this assignment, you are going to design a new marine species and suppose that you are introducing it into a marine ecosystem. Imagine that you have been tasked with introducing this species to a group of fellow marine scientists. You can either do a presentation using presentation software or create an encyclopedia entry for your species. Both should have an illustration of the species and contain the following information:
• A physical description of the species
• A description of the requirements for the habitat
• What the species eats
• Any natural predators for the species
• Adaptations that allow the species to compete in the environment
• The population cycle for the species
By introducing a species, you are also creating a trophic cascade. Conclude your presentation or encyclopedia with a discussion of the impact of the trophic cascade on all levels of the food pyramid.
If you choose to do a presentation with presentation software, it should be free of mechanical errors, well organized, and easy to read. If you choose to create an encyclopedia-style entry, it should also be free of mechanical errors and clearly organized.
Any idea where to begin?