Analyzing Ecological Relationships

Populations in communities interact with one another in many ways. Herbivores, for example; not
only compete with one another for space, but they may also depend upon one another for survival. In this
activity, you will analyze the interdependency of the herbivores of the Serengeti Plain of East Africa.
The Serengeti Plain contains the most spectacular concentrations of large mammals found anywhere in
the world. Approximately one million wildebeests, 600,000 Thomson’s gazelles, 200,000 zebras, and an
undetermined number of at least 20 other species of grazing animals live on this grassland. African lions
and other carnivores also live in this area and prey upon these grazers.
The dominant grazers of the Serengeti Plain are migratory. They move in response to rainfall and the
growth of the grasses they eat. The grazers do not always compete with one another for food. In fact,
some species of grazing animals help to increase the food supply of other species.
Examine the graphs below which shows the relationships between rainfall, the length of the grasses, and
the populations of zebra, wildebeests, and Thomson’s gazelles on the Serengeti Plain during one year (1989).
Analyzing Ecological Relationships Name _______________________ Hr. ____
Answer Sheet

Wildebeest (Gnu)

Zebra

Thomson’s
gazelle

1. Which group of animals appears in the area first after the rains begin? ______________________

2. Which group of animals follows next? ______________________

3. Which group of animals are the last to return to the area after the rains begin? _______________

4. How is this pattern of grazing (questions 1-3) beneficial to all three species?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. Explain why rainfall directly affects the population size of the grazing animals.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

6. Which population reaches its peak when the rainfall is at its lowest point? ____________________

7. Which population has more than one peak? _________________________

8. How are the masses (size) of the different species related to the patterns shown in the graphs?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
 When zebras graze in a particular area, that area seems to become an especially rich (usable,
nutritious) food for the wildebeests. The same area, after the wildebeests have grazed there, seems
to become an ideal food source for Thomson’s gazelles. To test this apparent pattern, an ecologist
performed an experiment. She fenced off areas of grass to prevent the wildebeests from grazing in
them. When gazelles approached the area, the ecologist removed the fences. The gazelles fed mostly
in areas where wildebeests had previously grazed and avoided areas in which the wildebeests had not
grazed.

9. Explain why the number of Thomson’s gazelles would change if the zebra population disappeared.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

10. Grass is composed of stems, sheaths (surrounds the stem),

and grass leaves. What might the graphs and the information
suggest about the eating habits of the different species?

stem
________________________________________________

________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

11. What would happen if all species ate the same exact parts of the grass or grazed at the same time?

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

12. Suppose it was discovered that during an earlier point in their evolution, these three species all ate
only grass leaves (the same part of the same plant). How can you explain their coexistence now?

__________________________________________________________________________