{ "nid": "57", "details": "\x3cspan class=\"title\"\x3eEcoBeaker™: Keystone Predator\x3c/span\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\n  \x3cdiv class=\"demo\"\x3e\x3ca href=\"http://www.simbio.com/demos/Keystone_Demo.mov\" target=\"_blank\"\x3e\x3cimg src=\"/files/demo_thumbnails/DemoThumb_KP.jpg\" border=0 /\x3e\x3c/a\x3e\x3c/div\x3e\n\x3cspan class=\"description\"\x3eThis laboratory recreates the famous experiments of Paine and colleagues in the Pacific Northwest with the sea star Pisaster (and 8 other marine intertidal species). Students do transplant experiments to figure out competitive relationships and sample gut contents to construct a food web. Next they use their data to predict what will happen when each predator is removed from the system. Finally, they do the removal experiments and compare their results with their predictions. This is a great introductory lab in that it explores basic ecological concepts and although it is not difficult, it asks students to think critically, synthesizing experimental data to make predictions. It also provides a nice foundation for discussions of the important roles that different species can play in a community.\r\n\x3c/span\x3e\x3cbr/\x3e\n\x3cbr/\x3e\n\x3cstrong\x3eLevel\x3c/strong\x3e: Intro\x3cbr/\x3e\n\x3cstrong\x3eKey Concepts\x3c/strong\x3e: Competition; Ecological communities; Food webs; Keystone species\x3cbr/\x3e\n\x3cstrong\x3eCourses\x3c/strong\x3e: Community Ecology; Conservation Biology; Ecology; Intro Bio: Eco/Evo/Genetics; Intro Bio: Non-majors; Marine Biology\x3cbr/\x3e\n          \x3cbr/\x3e\x3ca href=\"/search_result_details/brief/57\" class=\"node_brief\"\x3eRead less\x3c/a\x3e        \x3cbr/\x3e\x3ca href=\"/cart/add/57\"\x3e + Add to course collection\x3c/a\x3e  \x3c/span\x3e \x3c!-- description --\x3e\n" }