Student Instructions For each assignment, you will use the M.U.S.E. link to complete the lab. Access the M.U.S.E. by clicking on Learning Materials. In this lab, you will determine how an invasive species—the zebra and quagga mussel—affects other species in the freshwater lake. Use the animation to help you come up with an answer to the following: Why do you see increases and decreases in the invasive species population? What are the implications associated with these alterations to the ecosystem as a whole? The Effects of Zebra and Quagga Mussels Introduced into a Freshwater Lake As you have learned, population dynamics are caused by the biotic potential of the population and the effects of environmental resistance. When there is minimal environmental resistance impacting a population, it will exhibit a population explosion. One reason for minimal resistance could be factors that no longer regulate a population (e.g., predator decline or resource increases). Another reason for a population explosion is the introduction of an invasive species. Invasive species are species foreign to an ecosystem and are not immediately regulated by the environmental restraints of the particular ecosystem that they invade. This in turn allows their populations to grow seemingly uncontrolled and to displace other indigenous populations. Examples of such an invasive species into North America are dreissenid mussels, commonly known as zebra and quagga mussels. Their introduction into the Great Lakes has caused economic hardship and a reorganization of the ecosystem. This has led, in part, to pollution-causing effects that can be linked to an alga known as Cladophora . Ecosystems are webs of intricately balanced interactions, what happens when a new species is introduced that uses a disproportionate share of the ecosystem’s resources? Using the M.U.S.E. link, review the background information and animation to complete your report. Use the Lab 5 worksheet for assignment instructions and data collection. Please submit your completed assignment. Grading Category Category Criteria Percentage and Points Possible Purpose of Assignment and Content Development Use of appropriate, relevant, and compelling content that expresses topic, main idea, and purpose. 45% (90 of 200 points) Organization, Grammar, and Presentation Organized and complete lab report/worksheet with all relevant information as indicated and outlined on the worksheet.  Language clearly and effectively communicates ideas and content relevant to the assignment. 30% (60 of 200 points) Critical Thinking Demonstrates ability to analyze assumptions, evaluate evidence, complexities of issues, and alternatives. 20% (40 of 200 points) Information Literacy and Research Demonstrates good selection and use of high quality, credible, and relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate to the assignment.  Includes correct in-text citations. 5%  (10 of 200 points) For assistance with your assignment, please.

1. Student Instructions
For each assignment, you will use the M.U.S.E. link to complete
the lab. Access the M.U.S.E. by clicking on Learning Materials.
In this lab, you will determine how an invasive species—the
zebra and quagga mussel—affects other species in the
freshwater lake. Use the animation to help you come up with an
answer to the following:
Why do you see increases and decreases in the invasive species
population?
What are the implications associated with these alterations to
the ecosystem as a whole?
The Effects of Zebra and Quagga Mussels Introduced into a
Freshwater Lake
As you have learned, population dynamics are caused by the
biotic potential of the population and the effects of
environmental resistance. When there is minimal environmental
resistance impacting a population, it will exhibit a population
explosion. One reason for minimal resistance could be factors
that no longer regulate a population (e.g., predator decline or
resource increases). Another reason for a population explosion
is the introduction of an invasive species.
Invasive species
are species foreign to an ecosystem and are not immediately
regulated by the environmental restraints of the particular
ecosystem that they invade. This in turn allows their
populations to grow seemingly uncontrolled and to displace
other indigenous populations. Examples of such an invasive
species into North America are dreissenid mussels, commonly
known as zebra and quagga mussels. Their introduction into the
Great Lakes has caused economic hardship and a reorganization
of the ecosystem. This has led, in part, to pollution-causing
effects that can be linked to an alga known as
Cladophora
.
Ecosystems are webs of intricately balanced interactions, what

2. happens when a new species is introduced that uses a
disproportionate share of the ecosystem’s resources?
Using the M.U.S.E. link, review the background information
and animation to complete your report.
Use the
Lab 5 worksheet
for assignment instructions and data collection.
Please submit your completed assignment.
Grading Category
Category Criteria
Percentage and Points Possible
Purpose of Assignment and Content Development
Use of appropriate, relevant, and compelling content that
expresses topic, main idea, and purpose.
45% (90 of 200 points)
Organization, Grammar, and Presentation
Organized and complete lab report/worksheet with all relevant
information as indicated and outlined on the worksheet.
Language clearly and effectively communicates ideas and
content relevant to the assignment.
30% (60 of 200 points)
Critical Thinking
Demonstrates ability to analyze assumptions, evaluate evidence,
complexities of issues, and alternatives.
20% (40 of 200 points)
Information Literacy and Research
Demonstrates good selection and use of high quality, credible,
and relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate to the
assignment. Includes correct in-text citations.
5% (10 of 200 points)
For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, Web
resources, and all course materials.
Instructions:

3. You will write a 1-page lab report using the scientific method to
answer the following questions:
Why do you see increases and decreases in the invasive species
population?
What are the implications associated with these alterations to
the ecosystem as a whole?
When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted
Assignment files.
Part I:
Using the lab animation, fill in the data table below to help you
generate your hypothesis, outcomes, and analysis
.
Years
Zebra and Quagga Mussel (density/m2)
Phytoplankton (µg/ml)
Zooplankton (µg/ml)
Cladophora
Biomass (g/m2)
Foraging Fish (kilotons)
Lake Trout (kilotons)
0
4

4. 7
10
13
16
20

5. Part II:
Write a 1-page lab report using the following scientific method
sections:
Purpose
State the purpose of the lab.
Introduction
This is an investigation of what is currently known about the
question being asked. Use background information from
credible references to write a short summary about concepts in
the lab. List and cite references in APA style.
Hypothesis/Predicted Outcome
A
hypothesis
is an educated guess. Based on what you have learned and
written about in the Introduction, state what you expect to be
the results of the lab procedures.
Methods
Summarize the procedures that you used in the lab. The
Methods section should also state clearly how data (numbers)
were collected during the lab; this will be reported in the
Results/Outcome section.
Results/Outcome
Provide here any results or data that were generated while doing
the lab procedure.
Discussion/Analysis
In this section, state clearly whether you obtained the expected
results, and if the outcome was as expected.
Note: You can use the lab data to help you discuss the results

6. and what you learned.
Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list
and in-text citations for references used in the Introduction
section.
Give your paper a title and number, and identify each section as
specified above. Although the hypothesis will be a 1-sentence
answer, the other sections will need to be paragraphs to
adequately explain your experiment.
When your lab report is complete, post it in Submitted
Assignment files.