Predator Loss and Ecosystem Effects

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Ocean Life|Ages 12—14|ID: mt_NPTjGJIyb3

Quantify energy transfer efficiency through trophic levels (~10% rule); explain trophic cascades: how removing an apex predator triggers a chain of ecosystem changes (sea otters → sea urchin explosion → kelp forest collapse); define 'fishing down the food web'; evaluate evidence for ocean rewilding — shark reintroduction, whale recovery driving nutrient cycling; understand why ecosystem-based fisheries management is needed

Mastery Evidence

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] trace the chain of events that happened to Pacific kelp forests when sea otters were hunted almost to extinction — what domino effect did removing one species set off through the whole ecosystem?”

Prerequisites1

Ocean Pollution & Harm
hardAges 9—11

Show full prerequisite tree

Ocean Pollution & Harm hard
Trophic cascades and overfishing depends on human ocean harm overview
- Ocean Food Webs soft
  Understanding harm to food webs (overfishing) benefits from food web knowledge
  - Classifying Ocean Animals soft
    Food webs benefit from knowing animal classification groups
    - Whales & Dolphins Are Mammals hard
      Classifying marine mammals vs fish builds on whale/dolphin are mammals concept
      - Ocean Animal Variety soft
        Mammals vs fish distinction benefits from knowing ocean animal variety
    - Ocean Animal Variety hard
      Classifying ocean animals builds on knowing the variety exists
  - Ocean Food Chains hard
    Food webs extend simple food chains to interconnected networks
    - What Ocean Animals Need soft
      Food chains explain how animals meet their need for food
      - What Is the Ocean? soft
        Ocean animal needs are contextualised by knowing what the ocean is
    - Ocean Animal Variety soft
      Food chains benefit from knowing the variety of animals that eat each other
- Ocean Ecosystems hard
  Understanding human impact requires ecosystem systems thinking
  - Ocean Food Webs hard
    Ecosystems as systems builds on food web understanding
    - Classifying Ocean Animals soft
      Food webs benefit from knowing animal classification groups
      - Whales & Dolphins Are Mammals hard
        Classifying marine mammals vs fish builds on whale/dolphin are mammals concept
        
        Ocean Animal Variety soft
        Mammals vs fish distinction benefits from knowing ocean animal variety
      - Ocean Animal Variety hard
        Classifying ocean animals builds on knowing the variety exists
    - Ocean Food Chains hard
      Food webs extend simple food chains to interconnected networks
      - What Ocean Animals Need soft
        Food chains explain how animals meet their need for food
        
        What Is the Ocean? soft
        Ocean animal needs are contextualised by knowing what the ocean is
      - Ocean Animal Variety soft
        Food chains benefit from knowing the variety of animals that eat each other
  - Ocean Depth Zones hard
    Ecosystem concept requires understanding different ocean zones
    - What Is the Ocean? hard
      Ocean zones require knowing the ocean is deep and vast
    - Ocean Animal Variety hard
      Understanding zones requires knowing ocean has diverse life at different depths
  - Changing Environments soft
    Ocean ecosystems concept enriched by curriculum concept that environments change
    - Habitats & Basic Needs hard
      Must understand how habitats support organisms before understanding what happens when they change
      - Where Are the Poles? soft
        Polar regions enrich the curriculum habitats topic (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)
      - Habitat Vocabulary hard
        Describing how habitats provide for basic needs requires habitat, environment, conditions, shelter vocabulary
      - What Is a Rainforest? soft
        Rainforest habitat knowledge enriches the curriculum habitats topic (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)
      - What Living Things Need hard
        Must know basic needs of organisms before understanding how habitats provide for those needs
        
        Common Plants & Trees soft
        Knowing plants helps understand what they need
        
        Living Things Vocabulary soft
        Describing what plants and animals need to survive uses life processes vocabulary: nutrition, growth, sensitivity
        
        Naming Common Animals soft
        Knowing animals helps understand what they need
      - What Ocean Animals Need soft
        Ocean animal needs parallels curriculum habitats/basic needs concept
        
        What Is the Ocean? soft
        Ocean animal needs are contextualised by knowing what the ocean is
      - Animal Homes soft
        Animal homes concept is enriched by curriculum habitats topic
        
        Animals Everywhere hard
        Animal homes builds on knowing animals live everywhere
      - Living, Dead & Never Alive hard
        Must distinguish living from non-living before understanding habitats that support living things
        
        Common Plants & Trees soft
        Knowing plant names helps distinguish living from non-living
        
        Living Things Vocabulary hard
        Comparing living, dead, and never-been-alive things requires the life processes vocabulary to give reasons
        
        Naming Common Animals soft
        Knowing animal groups helps distinguish living from non-living
      - Minibeast Habitats soft
        Exploratory micro-habitats knowledge enriches curriculum habitats topic
        
        Common minibeasts: naming and recognising hard
        Must recognise common minibeasts before exploring where each type lives
        
        What is a minibeast? hard
        Must understand what minibeasts are before learning to name specific ones
    - Simple Food Chains soft
      Food chain knowledge helps understand knock-on effects of environmental change
      - Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores hard
        Must know carnivore/herbivore/omnivore to understand food chains
        
        Naming Common Animals hard
        Must identify animal groups before classifying by diet
      - Habitats & Basic Needs hard
        Must know about habitats and interdependence before learning food chains
        
        Where Are the Poles? soft
        Polar regions enrich the curriculum habitats topic (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)
        
        Habitat Vocabulary hard
        Describing how habitats provide for basic needs requires habitat, environment, conditions, shelter vocabulary
        
        What Is a Rainforest? soft
        Rainforest habitat knowledge enriches the curriculum habitats topic (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)
        
        What Living Things Need hard
        Must know basic needs of organisms before understanding how habitats provide for those needs
        
        Common Plants & Trees soft
        Knowing plants helps understand what they need
        
        Living Things Vocabulary soft
        Describing what plants and animals need to survive uses life processes vocabulary: nutrition, growth, sensitivity
        
        Naming Common Animals soft
        Knowing animals helps understand what they need
        
        What Ocean Animals Need soft
        Ocean animal needs parallels curriculum habitats/basic needs concept
        
        What Is the Ocean? soft
        Ocean animal needs are contextualised by knowing what the ocean is
        
        Animal Homes soft
        Animal homes concept is enriched by curriculum habitats topic
        
        Animals Everywhere hard
        Animal homes builds on knowing animals live everywhere
        
        Living, Dead & Never Alive hard
        Must distinguish living from non-living before understanding habitats that support living things
        
        Common Plants & Trees soft
        Knowing plant names helps distinguish living from non-living
        
        Living Things Vocabulary hard
        Comparing living, dead, and never-been-alive things requires the life processes vocabulary to give reasons
        
        Naming Common Animals soft
        Knowing animal groups helps distinguish living from non-living
        
        Minibeast Habitats soft
        Exploratory micro-habitats knowledge enriches curriculum habitats topic
        
        Common minibeasts: naming and recognising hard
        Must recognise common minibeasts before exploring where each type lives
        
        What is a minibeast? hard
        Must understand what minibeasts are before learning to name specific ones
      - Ocean Food Chains soft
        Ocean food chain parallels curriculum simple food chain concept
        
        What Ocean Animals Need soft
        Food chains explain how animals meet their need for food
        
        What Is the Ocean? soft
        Ocean animal needs are contextualised by knowing what the ocean is
        
        Ocean Animal Variety soft
        Food chains benefit from knowing the variety of animals that eat each other
      - Minibeasts in the food chain soft
        Garden minibeast food chains provide concrete examples for curriculum simple-food-chains
        
        Common minibeasts: naming and recognising hard
        Must know common minibeasts before placing them in food chains
        
        What is a minibeast? hard
        Must understand what minibeasts are before learning to name specific ones
      - Rainforest Animals soft
        Rainforest animals provide rich examples for simple food chains (exploratory age 5 -> curriculum age 6)
        
        Rainforest Layers hard
        Animals are taught in context of which layer they inhabit
        
        What Is a Rainforest? hard
        Must know what a rainforest is before learning its four layers
    - Habitat Vocabulary soft
      Discussing how environments change and pose dangers uses habitat and conditions vocabulary

Unlocks2

Coral Bleaching & Acidification
hardAges 12—13
Deep-Ocean Exploration Technology
hardAges 13—14