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

Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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

Copyright 2022 Post University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

CRITERIA Deficient Development

Needed Satisfactory Proficient

offers an alternative

perspective.

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

resp