NATURE UNBOUNDLESSON 1 – WHAT IS ECOLOGY
Conservation
Mr. Dieckhoff
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE? (WRITE DOWN AT LEAST 5 – BE CREATIVE)
Missouri Grassland near Nevada, MO 1.
2. 3. 4. 5.
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE? (WRITE DOWN AT LEAST 5 – BE CREATIVE)
Missouri River near Lexington, MO
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THIS PICTURE? (WRITE DOWN AT LEAST 5 – BE CREATIVE)
Mark Twain National Forest, Southeast MO
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
ECOLOGY
Ecology – Divided into:
Biotic – Examples:
Abiotic – Examples:
Atoms-Molecules-Organelles-Cells-Tissues-Organs-Organisms-Population-Community-Ecosystem-Biosphere
WHAT ARE THE BIOTIC (UNDERLINE) AND ABIOTIC (BOLD) ITEMS IN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES (PG 4, PARAGRAPH 2)
Muskrats and cattails both need water to survive. If a wetland dries up, cattails in the wetland soon die, and muskrats leave the wetland to look for new homes. In turn, living things can influence properties of water. Muskrats use plants, such as cattails, for food and to build their houses. In doing so, muskrats remove patches of vegetation and create areas of open water. With less vegetation to restrict air flow, more oxygen is mixed into the water when wind causes waves. Removing vegetation also removes shade, allowing sunlight to penetrate the water, increasing its temperature.
ORGANISMS:
All Need1. 2.
How does Cattail, Muskrat, and Mink get energy)
3. Minerals, Protein, Vitamins
4. Adaptations to Space (Muskrat)
Dense coat of fur, waterproof, buoyant, webbed hind feet, flattened tail for rudder, can reduce heart rate, store oxygen, tolerate high levels of carbon dioxide, stay underwater for 17 minutes
VIDEOS
Muskrat https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mj36HTIJFY
Mink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc5ss_YIVbI
POPULATIONS Definition:
Boundaries are determined by
Population Size – + births+ immigration- deaths- emigration
Study to help
Webquest – what is the typical population size of one of the mink’slargest predator’s in northern Missouri?
COMMUNITIES
Definition:
Tied together by:1.
Muskrat feed on cattails Mink feed on muskrat kits
2. Plants compete for sunlight (why grass is taller next
to unmowed grass) Songbirds compete for nesting sites
3. Ducks eat smartweed & its seeds
Some seeds pass through digestive system to get distributed over other areas
ECOSYSTEMS
Definition: What kind of ecosystem is this?
BIOSPHERE
Definition: Layer that supports all living things 5.5 miles below sea to 3.5 miles above sea
level
ECOLOGISTS
Develop hypothesis – Independent Variable – Dependent Variable – Experimental Group – Control Group –
HOW WOULD YOU SET UP EXPERIMENT:
In the early 1980s, ecologists began observing a sharp decline in populations of birds nesting in large tracts of forest. From previous studies, most ecologists believed the decline was connected to habitat fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation occurs when large, continuous blocks of habitat are broken up into smaller portions when land is cleared to build roads, subdivisions or crop fields. John Faaborg and Rick Clawson, two ecologists in Missouri, noticed that large forests in the Ozarks were being fragmented when trees were cut for timber. These observations led them to ask the question: Are forest birds affected by timber harvests?
CONSERVATION
Gifford Pinchot vs. Aldo Leopold
Using page 12 of the Chapter, answer the following questions:
What do Pinchot’s and Leopold’s idea of conservation have in common?
How do Pinchot’s and Leopold’s idea of conservation differ?
CONCLUSION
1. Ecology2. Organisms3. Populations4. Communities5. Ecosystems6. Biosphere7. What Ecologist Do8. Conservation
