Ecology and Ecosystems Demonstrations

Ecology is the study of how living organisms interact with each other and their environment. Ecosystems are the communities formed by these interactions along with the physical surroundings. This category explores energy flow, nutrient cycles, and the balance of populations within ecosystems. Studying ecology provides an understanding of environmental systems and the challenges they face.

Demonstration	Materials	Difficulty	Safety	Summary
Estimating Populations Using Quadrats	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	A quadrat is a square frame used to isolate a sample area for ecological study. By randomly placing quadrats across a study site, scientists can estimate population sizes and measure biodiversity without counting every organism in the area.
Polar Bear Blubber Adaptations	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	A thick layer of blubber helps polar bears and other Arctic animals stay warm in icy water. By using vegetable shortening inside a plastic bag, students can feel the insulating power of blubber firsthand.
Winogradsky Column	★★☆	★★☆	★★☆	A Winogradsky column is a simple way to grow diverse microbes from mud in a transparent container. Over several weeks, microbes form colorful layers that reveal differences in metabolism, oxygen tolerance, and nutrient use, providing a living model of microbial communities.
Candy Camouflage	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	In this game, players act as predators hunting for M&M prey. Some candies are disguised with Skittles that represent poisonous animals. Through quick candy hunting, students discover how mimicry and camouflage help prey survive by tricking predators.
Oh Deer! Population Game	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students act as deer and habitat resources in a kinesthetic game that models population dynamics. The activity shows how food, water, and shelter limit population size and illustrates the concepts of carrying capacity and limiting factors.
Exploring Pond Water with a Microscope	★★☆	★☆☆	★★☆	Students collect pond water samples and prepare microscope slides to observe microorganisms such as algae, protozoa, rotifers, and tiny crustaceans. The activity demonstrates biodiversity and introduces microscopy techniques for studying aquatic ecosystems.
Ecosystem in a Bottle	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students create a self-contained bottle ecosystem using soil, rocks, seeds, and water. This hands-on activity models how living and nonliving components interact in ecosystems and illustrates the role of plants and the water cycle in maintaining balance.
Owl Pellet Dissection	★★★	★★☆	★★☆	Students dissect owl pellets to uncover the bones and fur of the owl’s prey, reconstruct skeletons, and analyze what the owl has been eating. This hands-on activity teaches about predator-prey relationships, digestion, and food webs.
Interactive Food Web Game	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students simulate a food web using yarn and organism cards to demonstrate ecosystem interdependence. The activity highlights the effects of species extinction on the balance of an ecosystem.
Bird Beak Adaptations Game	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	Students use household tools to simulate bird beaks and compete for different types of “food.” By testing which beaks are best for which foods, players explore how beak shape is an adaptation for survival and how birds reduce competition by filling different ecological niches.
OneZoom Tree of Life Explorer	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	The OneZoom Tree of Life Explorer is an interactive visualization that displays the evolutionary relationships between over two million species. Each leaf represents a species, while the branching structure shows how all life shares common ancestors across billions of years.
Tragedy of the Commons Fishing Simulation	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This classroom simulation models the “Tragedy of the Commons” using colored marshmallows (or other small items) as fish. Students compete to maximize their catch but quickly discover that overfishing leads to resource collapse, while cooperation and restraint allow the population to replenish.
Compost in a Bottle	★☆☆	★☆☆	★★☆	This experiment creates a mini compost system inside a plastic bottle. By layering soil and organic waste, students can observe how microorganisms break down materials over time, producing nutrient-rich compost that can later be used to grow plants.
Opposable Thumb Adaptation - Taping Thumbs	★☆☆	★☆☆	★☆☆	This experiment demonstrates the importance of the opposable thumb in human evolution by restricting its use with tape. Students compare their ability to complete simple tasks, such as tying shoes, with and without their thumbs, highlighting how this adaptation supports daily activities.
Brine Shrimp Hatching and Growth	★★★	★☆☆	★☆☆	tudents hatch brine shrimp (Artemia) from eggs and track hatching success and growth over several days using simple equipment. A control culture is compared with single-variable changes to explore what helps or harms development.

Materials
★☆☆ Easy to get from supermarket or hardware store
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires materials not commonly found in school laboratories

Difficulty
★☆☆ Can be easily done by most teenagers
★★☆ Available in most school laboratories or specialist stores
★★★ Requires a more experienced teacher

Safety
★☆☆ Minimal safety procedures required
★★☆ Some safety precautions required to perform safely
★★★ Only to be attempted with adequate safety procedures and trained staff