Ecology

=Ch 1: Ecosystems and Biomes=

foldable booklet with cards of abiotic pictures & examples of nonliving things in an ecosystem [|Biodiversity Song: "We Are All Connected"]
 * 1.1: Abiotic vs. Biotic Factors ( p 6-13)**

foldable with tri-fold to illustrate & describe each cycle [|Harry Potter & the Carbon Cycle] [|Nitrogen Cycle] [|Water Cycle]
 * 1.2: Cycles: water, carbon, & nitrogen ( p 16-20)**

foldable triangle with flaps for a food web & energy pyramid [|Energy Pyramid Skit by 8th graders] [|The Food Chain- Sherman's Lagoon]
 * 1.3: Energy Pyramid: ( p 22-29)**

partner(s) project using fotobabble.com creating an advertisement for travel to a location in a specific biome [|Grasslands] [|Biome Song]
 * 1.4: Biomes: ( p 30-37)**

Tune in the **Today Show** to see where Matt Lauer has traveled to....day 1: Namidia, Africa (Skeleton Coast)-desert biome [|Where In the World Is Matt Lauer???]

On Thursday, Matt went to the Swiss Alps....breathtaking!!! [|Matt visits the Arctic Tundra biome!]

[|Scientists in Antarctica]

Opportunity to apply concepts for this first chapter: [|Short answer questions for ch 1 test]

PODCASTS:
The Chemistry of Water: [|untamedscience podcast website] Discovering the Wetlands: [|untamedscience podcast website]

Soil Lab:
Inquiry-based lab testing 5 different types of soils, clay, sand, loam, & 2 types of South Dakota Badlands soils Students make qualitative and quantitative observations before hypothesizing as to the absorption quality of the soils. Students filter soils with water & time water absorption

Check out this clip from the 60 Minutes program. Truffles are a type of fungus that grows underground. People use trained dogs to sniff out the mushrooms for harvest. They are a huge delicacy and are a key ingredient in New york's famous $ 150.00 hamburger. The soil quality and wet summers are essential for good truffles. The population density has decreased recently because of climate change. [|The Most Expensive Food in the World- 60 Minutes program on truffles]

Vocabulary:
photosynthesis, cellular respiration, abiotic, biotic, producer, autotroph, heterotroph, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, primary consumer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer, decomposer, nitrogen fixation, biomagnification

** =Ch 2:Interactions Within Ecosystems=

[|Monitoring Wedell Seal populations] [|Hibernation] [|Migration] [|Habitat & Niche from a Red Wolf's perspective]
 * 2.1: Groups of Living Things Interact Within Ecosystems ( p 42-51)**

[|Review for 2.2] [|Symbiosis Animated Song] [|Symbiosis Rap] [|Competition, Predation, & Symbiosis]
 * 2.2: Organisms an Interact in Different Ways ( p 54-61)**

This video demonstrates a symbiotic relationship between a bird and a plant (mutualism) You will need to download this one if it won't let you view it! [|Phainopepla Bird & Mistletoe]

Parasitism at it "finest"! [|Caterpillar & Black Wasps:Body Invaders] [|Wasps & Aphids] [|Nest/Brood Parasitism]


 * 2.3: Ecosystems are Always Changing ( p 63-69)**

[|Succession Play] [|Primary Succession] [|Primary & Secondary Succession] [|Succession Song]
 * [|Primary vs Secondary Succession]**
 * [|Forest After a Fire]**
 * [|Climax Community]**


 * [|Population Patterns]**
 * [|Population Distribution]**
 * [|Limiting Factors]**

In these video segments from //Nature, // learn about the wild pandas of the Wolong Conservation Center in China. When the bamboo plant, the pandas’ main source of food, began to die off in the 1980s, the center responded by rescuing starving pandas from the wild. Although the center initially intended to release the pandas once they were nursed back to health, the danger from poachers had become a serious problem. The center had also hoped to breed the pandas; but reproduction in captivity did not occur for many years. [|Panda population] [|Conservation efforts for the Giant Panda]

Here are some great review videos for this unit! Grab your ear buds and check it out!!!
[|Good review for Ecology] [|Ecology Energy Flow Review Video] [|Ecology Review Video] [|Population Studies Video]

[|Ch 2 Outline/review questions]
 * Here is the outline/review questions for ch 2. It does contain information not presented in the book, so a small amount of outside research is required!!! This is an excellent study guide for this chapter, so print and get started! This is one of my favorite areas of Ecology. It deals with animal behavior and interaction at its finest!!! **

Estimating Populations Lab:
This lab shows us how scientists estimate animal populations and how they use these estimates to see changes in ecosystems. Beans are not as exciting at tagging tigers, but its a lot safer :o)

Vocabulary:
population, population studies, community, habitat, niche, organism, population, species, cooperation, mutualism. parasitism, symbiosis, competition, commensalism, coexistence, carrying capacity, limiting factor, pioneer species, primary species, primary succession, secondary succession, patterns in time, migration, hibernation, patterns in space, herding, predation, prey, extinct, extant, competition, density-dependent, density-independent, population density

=Ch 3:Human Impact on Ecosystems=

3.1: Human population growth presents challenges. ( p 78-87) [|Population Dynamics Video] [|3.1/video review questions] [|3.1/video discussion notes] [|9 billion?] [|Sustainability] [|Overpopulation Opinion]

[|History of Human Population in US]

[|Sprawl vs. Smart Growth]

3.2: Human activities affect the environment ( p 89-96) [|Human Impact] [|Water Pollution] [|Enough Food] [|World Hunger] [|Human Rescue-Sean Penn] [|Polar Bears & Global Warming]

[|Calculate Your Carbon Footprint]

3.3: People are woking to protect ecosystems ( p 98-105) [|Reflect on this video!]

[|Las Vegas Water]

[|Dam Management & Engineering]

[|Green Energy]

Current News on Invasive Species in Iowa: [|Invasives Alert for Iowa Great Lakes] [|Electric Fish Barrier???] [|DNR Meets to Get Solutions]

Invasive Species Research:
We are researching an invasive species of your choice to present to the class. You can either work with a partner or by yourself for this project. We will be presenting information on your invasive species using Prezi. We will review prezi's, but remember that you have used that site for Geography. It is very similar to power points, but adds a little sophistication to it! Here are some requirements for your invasive species research:

**common name & scientific name for the species (show picture)** **what is their life cycle** **what is their prey, habitat, and niche** **what is the current population trend (increasing, decreasing, reaching carrying capacity, etc)** **where did they originate, or where are they normally found (show map)** **location where they have "invaded" (show map)** **how did they get to the new location (if known)** **what kind of problems have they caused** **why have they caused problems** **what are their natural predators, or why aren't they a problem in other locations** **what solutions have been tried to control them** **what are your recommendations for controlling them**

Sign up for your invasive species in Mrs. Creel's room! Remember, we will start presenting Friday!!