12/9/13

Tonight's homework is to read sections 4.1 and 4.2 (p. 61-66) in Botkin and Keller and add to your notes from today.

12/6/13

This weekend's homework is to complete Assignment 25 start investigating and thinking about populations of organisms and the factors that affect them. In order to do so, you need to answer the following questions.

Assignment 25 - Investigating Population Changes

Answer the following questions to the best of your ability in complete sentences. Use details, examples, and vocabulary to support your answers and demonstrate knowledge.

1. What happened to the reindeer population on St. Matthew Island? Why did this occur?

2. How do these events relate to the principles of sustainability that we have discussed previously (nutrient cycling, reliance on solar energy, population control, and biodiversity)?

In order to obtain information about what occurred on St. Matthew Island use the following sources:

St. Matthew Island Reindeer comic

OR

Klein, D.R. 1968. The introduction, increase, and crash of reindeer on St. Matthew Island. J. Wildlife Management 32: 350-367.

Also, here is an interesting broadcast from Freakonomics Radio about how invasive species have been (poorly) dealt with in the past. NOTE: This is optional and just to pursue your own interest.

12/5/13

Tonight you should continue studying and preparing for the free-response portion of the ecology exam. Good luck.

12/4/13

Tonight's homework is just to prepare for the first part of tomorrow's unit exam. Good luck.

Humans Share Food Chain Level With Pigs, Study Finds

See here for access to the article from Popular Science.

12/3/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 24 and study for Thursday and Friday's exam. To complete Assignment 24, you need to answer the Guiding Questions:

1. How is Caulerpa taxifolia an invasive species?

2. How does this case study relate to the principles of sustainability (reliance on solar energy, nutrient cycling, population control, and biodiversity)?

To support your efforts, use the following:

Powerpoint from class today
Sea Grant California's article about the detection Caulerpa taxifolia off the coast of California
PBS Nova video clip about Caulerpa taxifolia

Also, the articles from yesterday's post could be helpful. If you want to review/complete the other MC questions, then go for it. They were intended to help focus your attention on relevant details while we discussed the case study.

12/2/13

Tonight's homework is to complete Assignment 23 and then read the following to prepare for tomorrow's investigation of an invasive species:

and...

"A Delicate Pacific Seaweed Is Now A Monster Of The Deep" - New York Times, August 1997.

Assignment 23 - Invasion!

Your task is to investigate invasive species that are currently affecting ecosystems in New York State (or at least are of concern within the state). Choose at one animal and one plant to investigate. In each case that you investigate, think about and record the species’

• Basic characteristics
• Origins
• Impact on ecosystems
• Any methods of intervention or control

Access the class website and the links under today’s post to obtain information.

After you become more familiar with the relevant characteristics of your invasive species, take a moment to summarize and explicitly state what makes your species of interest an invasive species as well as why people are concerned about it.

Some species of interest:

• Emerald Ash Borer
• Hydrilla
• Asian Longhorned Beetle
• Japanese Knotweed
• Northern Snakehead Fish
• Giant Hogweed
• Feral swine

When asked, you will share information about organism that you felt was of greatest interest and concern with your group.

Invasion! Thinking and Discussion Questions

Answer all of the following questions to the best of your ability and in complete sentences. Use examples and class vocabulary to create the best responses possible. Support your answers with references to what you investigated or heard about today.

1. Why discuss or be concerned with invasive species?

2. Realistically, what can be done about invasive species?

3. In the end, are invasive species a problem? When answering this question, think about your perspective and the principles of sustainability (reliance on solar energy, nutrient cycling, population control, and biodiversity) as well.


Use the following links to gain information about invasive species - especially those that impact New York State.

New York State Invasive Species information

Other invasive species of interest:
European rabbits
Kudzu

Homework reading - "A Delicate Pacific Seaweed Is Now A Monster Of The Deep" - New York Times, August 1997.