Attached is several previous assignments that will help complete this powerpoint.

In this step of the course project you will observe your organism and document its ecology using the multimedia format you chose in your Week One Forum. Ecology is the interaction of a living organism with the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors in the environment. You will document how your organism lives, works (gains energy), and generally interacts with the environment. Potential methods of documentation include photography, video, and audio recording. You should attempt to collect as much original media (photos, videos) on your organism as possible and then supplement with resources found on the web. Please remember your research is about observing your organism, not interacting with it! Please use common sense and do not put yourself in a potentially dangerous environment or trespass when making your observations.

Presentation requirements:

• Your presentation will be submitted as a weblink that you have created either from building a Prezi presentation or a Screencast-o-matic (SOM) of a slide presentation. Instructions for creating and uploading your presentation for either Prezi or SOM are below.
• If your presentation is a Prezi it must contain 10 – 20 elements (what we would call slides in power point). If your presentation is an SOM is must contain 12 – 20 slides and be no longer than 15 minutes in length.
• There must be a visual element (photos. videos).
• There must be a narrative component (audio or written narration).**Please note that to narrate your presentation you must use SOM, narration using Prezi is no longer free**
• You will submit this presentation to your classmates to review and discuss as a part of the Week Eight Forum.

Depending on the type of organism you have chosen you will address different sets of questions. Please see the category that responds to your selection.

MICROORGANISMS:

I. Organism Introduction: your presentation must contain:

a. The common and scientific names of your organism

b. Where you observed your organism (e.g. country, state, park, zoo).

c. A discussion on why you selected this organism

d. If possible, a picture of you observing your organism safely in the field.

II. Energy Ecology: your presentation must address how does the organism obtains its energy. For example: what are its food sources, types of food, amount of food and/or the temporal pattern of feeding?

III. Reproductive Ecology: your presentation must address the reproductive strategies of your organism. For example, discuss how your microbe undergoes asexual reproduction.

IV. Habitat: your presentation must discuss where your organism lives. This does not refer to a city or state; rather it is the natural environment in which your organism lives. Some factors to consider when discussing habitat include abiotic factors like soil or water as well as biotic factors like predators, prey or hosts.

V. Responses to the Environment: your presentation must address if your organism responses to physical factors such as light, substrate texture or density.

PLANTS/FUNGI

I. Organism Introduction: your presentation must contain:

a. The common and scientific names of your organism

b. Where you observed your organism (e.g. country, state, park, zoo).

c. A discussion on why you selected this organism

d. If possible, a picture of you observing your organism safely in the field.

II. Energy Ecology: your presentation must address how the plant/fungus obtains and stores its energy. For example: how does the plant harvest energy using leaves or body mass?

III. Reproductive Ecology: your presentation must address how your plant/fungus reproduces. Include a discussion on any of the specific structures or cell types that are required for reproduction.

IV. Habitat: your presentation must discuss where your organism lives. This does not refer to a city or state; rather it is the natural environment in which your organism lives. Some factors to consider when discussing habitat include abiotic factors like soil or water as well as biotic factors like predators, prey or hosts.

V. Biotic Interactions: your presentation should discuss any biotic interactions your organism has with other organisms that may use it for food, shelter or reproduction.

ANIMALS

I. Organism Introduction: your presentation must contain:

a. The common and scientific names of your organism

b. Where you observed your organism (e.g. country, state, park, zoo).

c. A discussion on why you selected this organism

d. If possible, a picture of you observing your organism safely in the field.

II. Foraging Ecology: your presentation must address how your animal obtains its food. For example: the types of foods, the amount of food, the temporal pattern of feeding and specific handling or processing of food items by the organism (e.g. the way a squirrel manipulates an acorn).

III. Reproductive Ecology: your presentation must address how your animal reproduces. Include a discussion on the specific reproductive strategies (e.g. release of gametes by a fish or hermaphroditic reproduction in earthworms), mate choice, mating displays, mate competition and mating systems.

IV. Habitat: your presentation must discuss where your organism lives. This does not refer to a city or state; rather it is the natural environment in which your organism lives. Some factors to consider when discussing habitat include abiotic factors like soil or water as well as biotic factors like predators, prey or hosts.

V. Other Behaviors: your presentation must discuss other interesting behaviors of your organism. For example light sensitivity, tactile sensitivity, parental care, group formation, kin helpers, defenses, territoriality and cooperation.

Additional Resources:

• Rubric
• Prezi creation and uploading directions
• SOM creation and uploading directions
• Assignment 5 Presentation Tips and Guidelines
• Sample Presentation