Unit 5 Assignment Forum – Ecological Web

Due Dates:

• By Friday of Unit 5, 11:59 p.m. EST – Post assignment to the forum.
• By Sunday of Unit 5, 11:59 p.m. EST – Respond to a classmate.

Points: 100

Overview:

In this assignment, you will research a keystone species within an ecosystem and create a visual web
for how the keystone species support other organisms.

Instructions:

Find an article or a web resource that discusses and illustrates an ecological web that includes a
keystone species. Create your own version of the ecological diagram, showing the interrelationships
between species. Be sure to cite your source of the material and include it with your submission.

Include the following in your ecological diagram:

• An ecological web that includes at least one (1) keystone species.
• The interrelationships of at least another four (4) species, including one primary producer.

Organisms should be labeled in the web.
• A one-paragraph explanation of the feeding relationships demonstrated within the ecological

web.
• A link to the article or web resource that you used as a reference.

Requirements:

• Upload your chosen article for your peers to evaluate your response.
• Provide at least one (1) peer response that elaborates on your classmate’s ideas with further

comment or observation, presents a relevant new idea or viewpoint for consideration, and
raises a question, or politely offers an alternative perspective.

• Include the citation of the article in the correct APA style.

• Post the assignment, article, and your response to the Assignment Forum by the due dates
listed above.

Be sure to read the criteria below by which your work will be evaluated before you write and
again after you write.

ENV110 – Exploring Environmental Issues

Unit 5 Assignment Forum – Ecological Web

Evaluation Rubric for Ecological Web Assignment Forum

CRITERIA Deficient Development Needed Satisfactory Proficient

Ecological Web
with KeyStone
Species

(0-11 Points) (12-15 Points) (16-17 Points) (18-20 Points)

Diagram is missing
major components
and is incomplete, is
missing keystone,
primary producer,
and other
organisms.

Diagram shows one
keystone, one
primary producer
and one other
organism.

Diagram shows one
keystone, one
primary producer
and two other
organisms.

Diagram shows one
keystone, one
primary producer
and at least three
other organisms.

Interrelationships (0-14 Points) (15-19 Points) (20-22 Points) (23-25 Points)

The majority of
interrelationships
are incorrect/missing
or mislabeled.

Two or more
interrelationships
are incorrect and are
inaccurate or
mislabeled.

Most
interrelationships
are correct, but one
interrelationship is
not accurate or is
mislabeled.

All interrelationships
are correctly labeled
and accurate
between the
keystone and other
4 organisms.

Explanation (0-14 Points) (15-19 Points) (20-22 Points) (23-25 Points)

Description of the
food web is missing
and the majority of
interrelationships
are incorrect or
missing.

Description of food
web misidentifies
the ecosystem or an
interrelationships
between species.

Description of food
web identifies the
ecosystem and most
interrelationships
between species
accurately.

Description of food
web identifies the
ecosystem and
interrelationships
between species
accurately.

Article Included
and Reference
Citation in APA
Formatting

(0-5 Points) (6-7 Points) (8 Points) (9-10 Points)

Article citation was
not present, and/or
APA style formatting
has significant
errors.

Article citation was
included and has
some issues with
APA style
formatting.

Article citation was
included, but has
minor errors in APA
style formatting.

Article citation was
included and
correctly formatted
in APA style.

Peer Response

(0 Points) (6 Points) (8 Points) (10 Points)

No response post
made to a
classmate’s post.

Peer response
provided, though
minimal and lacking
depth by restating or
summarizing what
was already
expressed, details,
and new ideas
missing or lacking.

Peer response
elaborates on
classmate’s ideas
with further
comment but does
not raise a question
or offer an
alternative
perspective.

Peer response
elaborates on
classmate’s ideas
with further
comment or
observation;
presents a relevant
new idea or
viewpoint for
consideration; raises
a question or politely
offers an alternative
perspective.

CRITERIA Deficient Development Needed Satisfactory Proficient

Posting Due
Dates

(0 Points) (5 Points) (10 Points)

The assignment and
response were not posted
by the due dates of the unit.

Either the assignment or the
response was not posted by
the due date of the unit.

Both the assignment and
response were posted by
the due dates of the unit.

Due Dates:
Overview:
Instructions:
Requirements: