Part 1 of 3
Kaibab I (20 points)
On the north rim of the Grand Canyon, an area called the Kaibab plateau, there is a conifer forest called the Kaibab forest. The forest's trees include pine, fir and spruce. Shrubbery includes a variety of willows, raspberries, etc. A hundred years ago, this forest was a stable ecosystem, housing, among other species, a population of about four thousand mule deer.
These deer were hunted by local Native Americans, who used them for food and other materials. They were also hunted by predators like pumas, wolves and coyotes.
In 1906, the US made this region into a National Game Preserve. With the intent of protecting the deer, hunting was forbidden. Bounties were paid for killing the pumas, wolves and other large animals that preyed on the deer. By 1925, more than 6000 predators had been killed, virtually wiping out the ecosystem's large predators.
For the first part of your project, consider the description above. Predict what you think will happen to this ecosystem, and explain why. Try to think about the impact on the whole ecosystem, not just the deer. Enter a brief account of your predictions in the text submission box below and submit it for grading.
NOTE: This first part of this Exam Project requires thought and reasoning; you are not expected to do a lot of research. That will come in Part 2. Here, I want to see the result of your reasoning, not your research.
This assignment would be best submitted via the text response box, though preparing and attaching a document is also fine.
Part 1 of 3
Kaibab I (20 points)
On the north rim of the Grand Canyon, an area called the Kaibab plateau, there is a conifer forest called the Kaibab forest. The forest's trees include pine, fir and spruce. Shrubbery includes a variety of willows, raspberries, etc. A hundred years ago, this forest was a stable ecosystem, housing, among other species, a population of about four thousand mule deer.
These deer were hunted by local Native Americans, who used them for food and other materials. They were also hunted by predators like pumas, wolves and coyotes.
In 1906, the US made this region into a National Game Preserve. With the intent of protecting the deer, hunting was forbidden. Bounties were paid for killing the pumas, wolves and other large animals that preyed on the deer. By 1925, more than 6000 predators had been killed, virtually wiping out the ecosystem's large predators.
For the first part of your project, consider the description above. Predict what you think will happen to this ecosystem, and explain why. Try to think about the impact on the whole ecosystem, not just the deer. Enter a brief account of your predictions in the text submission box below and submit it for grading.
NOTE: This first part of this Exam Project requires thought and reasoning; you are not expected to do a lot of research. That will come in Part 2. Here, I want to see the result of your reasoning, not your research.
This assignment would be best submitted via the text response box, though preparing and attaching a document is also fine.
