Objective 2

B. Explain how water is a limiting factor in various ecosystems

The functioning of an organism is controlled or limited by that essential environmental factor or combination of factors present in the least favorable amount that may not be continuously existing but only at some critical period of time. The availability of food, water availability, nutrients, shelter, and predation pressure are examples of factors limiting the growth of a population size.

In the grand scheme of the water cycle, animals may not play a very big role, but all animals, including you, participate in moving water around as part of the water cycle.

 The water cycle is critical to all animals and life on Earth.  All animals need to take in water, use it, and get rid of the excess— animals have their own mini-water cycle going all the time. g/giant-kangaroo-rat_img01-l.jpg Kangaroo rat, its only water source comes from the seeds it collects

There is one creature on Earth that does have a very large impact on the water cycle—human beings. The natural water cycle changed once people came on the scene. People have adapted and remade parts of the world to make use of water, such as draining wetlands, pulling massive amounts of water out of the ground, damming rivers to create reservoirs, and using significant amounts of water from rivers for human use.

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 All living organisms require water

C. Distinguish between inference and evidence in a newspaper, magazine, journal, or internet article that addresses an issue related to human impact on cycles of matter in an ecosystem and determine bias in the article.

Bias - prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair

 Evidence is measurable and eliminates bias  Claims must be cited in order to be creditable.

Review the article at: olarly-Writing/Identifying_Bias.pdf What are the four important questions to ask when reviewing an article?

1. What is the writer not saying? 2. Is the discussion even handed? 3. How is the writer supporting his or her opinions? 4. Are the conclusions supported by the facts presented?

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 Evidence is measurable and eliminates bias.