Alternatively, students can write a 1-2 page paper about the effects of the zebra mussel invasion on the Hudson River. Trophic Levels Sometimes scientists describe each level in a food web with a trophic level. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Summary Students participate in a series of activities to learn how an invasive species has changed the Hudson River food web and be able to explain the impact of the introduction of the zebra mussel on the food web. Students will know how tides affect the Hudson River and be able to create a graph showing a two-day pattern of tides in the river. Are there differences in the CO2 levels in different areas of the school campus? Describes how the water cycle has been altered due to human actions, focusing on land use changes. Students will know that having different types of trees affects forest ecosystem function, and will be able to explain the impacts of changing species composition on function. This dataset will allow you to explore connections between tick populations, their mouse hosts, and the acorns that feed the mice. Students will interpret geological maps, identify the permeability rates in different glacial deposits, and be able to infer which local townships can best benefit from residential wells. Now have students record their predictions about how the zebra mussels will affect two abiotic factors (water transparency and dissolved oxygen), fish and submerged aquatic vegetation and record those predictions on their charts. Students will know why we call some species invasive and be able to discuss several traits that are common among many invasive species and be able to explain the effects of at least one invasive species on ecosystems in the Hudson Valley. %PDF-1.5 %���� Plants in the river are also important in food webs—microscopic algae are often eaten while alive, while larger aquatic plants mainly enter food chains after they have died. A fun outdoor activity demonstrates to the students concepts People and cities usually don't come to mind when ecology is mentioned. • The more chains the more stable the ecosystem. by Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Students will learn to use "hedging language" in discussing results. Science. The food web. Students will examine the shape and size of seeds, know how those differences relate to seed dispersal and be able to compare the trade-offs of those differences. Zebra mussels were first detected in the Hudson in 1991. Kick netting does not require any advance preparation or stream visits. River Ecosystem River ecosystems are prime examples of loticecosystems Loticrefers to flowing water It is a running water ecosystem It has water current. Filter feeders such as mussels can increase the clarity of the water by removing some of the suspended solids (organisms, silt, etc.). River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic physical and chemical interactions of its many parts. Overview of what lives in the Hudson River. School sites are designed for humans and human activities. Students make food chains for their study site organisms, and learn food chain terminology. When people think of ecology, they usually imagine studies out in the country. What changes might occur to the food web? Photos and descriptive information about common invasive plants found in and around Dutchess County, NY. Greater Yellowstone’s diversity and natural wealth includes the hydrother-mal features, wildlife, vegetation, lakes, and geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. h�bbd```b``���+�d1����L�`��`v?�L�K@$�2�&��%�z]0��R�~&�H�7 Rc�T �W��Q �!D��� �1t>�m?H��r�����q!X%� ��9� 8�� In these activities, students work with datasets in a scaffolded format to learn more about their local ecosystem and increase their confidence and skill in working with data. Common algae found in the Hudson estuary answering: What is it? Students will know how the climate of the Hudson Valley has changed over the last glaciation and be able to explain these changes. Explore: Introduce four habitats that are subsets of the larger Hudson River habitat: marsh, brackish channel, freshwater channel, and fresh water shallows. 2007. Students' central challenge is to determine the food web of a local site. 3. Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies | Millbrook, New York 12545 | Tel (845) 677-5343, A guide to invertebrate life in the leaf litter, Air Pollution Trends in the United States, Hudson River Ecology Water & Watersheds, Aquatic Invertebrate Life History and Populations, Balance of Photosynthesis and Respiration, 3-5 6-8 9-12, Biodiversity - Baltimore Ecosystem Study RET, Biomagnification: Cadmium in the Food Web, Blood Lead Levels, Poverty and Housing Trends for Mid-Hudson Valley and NYC, 3-5 6-8 K-2 9-12. Blackfly larvae were the source of 56-80% of the mercury flowing to fish. As a whole class, student teams share information about organism populations, and then use information from classmates, discussion, and a PowerPoint to chart changes in biotic and abiotic factors resulting from the zebra mussel invasion. Once they have drawn their food webs, students can view and critique other food webs. Students will learn how transition from gaining information from a 3-dimensional model to gaining information from an overhead 2-dimensional view. In addition, the field trip is surrounded by classroom lessons that teach key concepts such as the effect of abiotic and biotic factors on stream ecosystems, food webs, and data analysis and exploration. In an ecosystem, plants and animals all rely on each other to live. Students will know the major changes that have taken place in the Hudson Valley and will be able to use aerial photos to describe major trends. This unit is unique in that it focuses on collecting long term data about the changes in the populations of macroinvertebrates. Producers are usually green plants and are essential for the survival of the community. Students should save their webs in order to add to them later. Students will know how to test for salt pollution in their local stream and will be able to explain whether their stream is contaminated by salt. 1998. The speed of water also varies and is subject to chaotic turbulence. These data show the populations of Atlantic silversides, blue crabs, ctenophora (comb jellies), striped bass, banded killifish, pumpkinseed fish, spottail shiners, and sunfish compared to dissolved oxygen (DO) in the Hudson River. Students will know how land use affects water quality, and be able to calculate a macroinvertebrate diversity index to understand the impact of land use change in watersheds. This food web shows the role played by invertebrates (animals without backbones), such as mayflies and stoneflies, in freshwater ecosystems. Optional, “Journey down the Hudson” PowerPoint is a good introduction to the Hudson River if your students need additional background. Students will define and classify resources from the Chesapeake Bay watershed in order to describe how each of these organisms interacts. This unit includes a more in-depth investigation of three species: zebra mussels, water chestnut, and common reed. Therefore a food chain is not always an accurate description of how organisms in a habitat or an ecosystem interact with each other. All scientific maps need to be verified by fieldwork (exploring the schoolyard). Do preferences change in different habitats or micro-environments? An overview of how the tides change in the Hudson River estuary. Point out micro- and macro-invertebrates. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has a network of real-time monitoring stations located along many waterways in New York State. Mosquitoes play an integral role in the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile fever, and encephalitis. Orient students to the graphs by having them look at the labels for each axis. They will also know that the Hudson River food web is changing in response to the zebra mussel invasion, and will be able to make predictions about how native organisms will be affected by this invasion. Caraco, J.J. Cole, S. Findlay, and M. Pace. [inquiry lesson], What climate change means for the Hudson River, Where does our water go? The 2nd level is made up of herbivorous consumers and so on. Make sure that all students have noticed the detritus and bacteria in the food web – these components of the ecosystem are a more important food source than phytoplankton. the Tar-Pamlico River while addressing essential terminology for understanding the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystems including food chain, food web, energy pyramid, adaptation, decomposers, producers and consumers. Ask: Are the changes caused by the zebra mussels “good” or “bad”? 0 All living organisms take up and use nutrients. These are pre-invasion population numbers collected before the zebra mussels arrived in the Hudson. Long term record of annual temperature at Poughkeepsie. Cadmium in the Cove: What happened to it? (Note: Since it is difficult to count phytoplankton because they are so small, scientists have used measurements of chlorophyll instead. 4. Why do we need to be concerned about it? Effects of an invasive bivalve on the This network includes several stations from the New York/New Jersey harbor up to Schodack Island. Students evaluate the environmental, political and economic consequences of their actions, and grapple with the difficult nature of making environmentally sound choices. Obtaining and utilizing these resources will have a direct affect on the quality of the environment in a given area. The interconnectedness of how organisms are involved in energy transfer within an ecosystem is vital to understanding food webs and how they apply to real-world … In this case, we are looking at Poughkeepsie, a city in the Hudson Valley that is located right near the Hudson River. Students will know the connection between land use and permeability, and be able to use data from a classroom activity to explain this connection. Using data from the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observation System (HRECOS) you can look at the impact of drought in the Hudson River by comparing two years with different PDSI scores. School sites are habitat for creatures other than humans. Students will know that mud worms at Foundry Cove evolved cadmium resistance and be able to explain how the scientists verified that cadmium-resistance is an inherited trait. In this dataset, students can explore how the prevalence of Lyme disease has changed over time in the Northeast. Mini-graph sets, Part 2 and 3 As a consequence, flow and temperature regimes have been altered, strongly affecting river food webs and ecosystem processes. Flow can be affected by sudden water input from snowmelt, rain and groundwater. Dissolved oxygen (D.O.) Strayer, D.L., K.A. Discuss possible future changes in zebra mussel class sizes, organism populations, or abiotic factors.Extend: For a more in-depth analysis of the changes in different population groups in the Hudson, use the lesson called “Graphing Zebra Mussel Data” in the Invasive Species module of the Changing Hudson Project curriculum. Fernald, S.H., N.F. Models can be created to represent complex aspects of the real world. Repeat with the 1993-2004 graphs that display early invasion population numbers. By 1992 they had spread throughout the freshwater and slightly brackish parts of the estuary and had a biomass greater than the combined biomass of all other consumers. Show the remaining PowerPoint slides for Part 2. In order to help students understand the connections between water and air pollution through the concept of watersheds and airsheds, as well as understand the impacts of their decisions on human health and the environment, we have developed a game that allows middle and high school students to become decision makers in a hypothetical county. Compare the food webs in each habitat. Analysis of delta13C, delta15N, and delta34S in the common local consumers such as grass shrimp (Palaemonetes sp. River ecosystems (riverscapes) encompass ecological, social, and economic processes (ecosystem functions) that interconnect organisms (ecosystem structure), including humans, over some time period. Using data from the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observation System (HRECOS) you can look at how primary productivity changes daily and over the growing season. OR If using live specimens from cultures (purchased or otherwise obtained), the following are needed: Background Information for Teachers: The Hudson Primer: The Ecology of an Iconic River by Dr. David Strayer. 3. (Middle School), Schoolyard Ecology Water & Watersheds, Schoolyard Ecology Biodiversity, Ecosystem Consequences of Town Decisions: Agriculture Version, Ecosystems in Action: Cycling of Matter & Energy, Ecosystems in Action: Population & Community Dynamics, Eel Migration in the Hudson Estuary (Middle School), Eel Migration in the Hudson River Estuary (High School), Environmental Impact Statements- Written assessment, Exploring Abiotic Changes due to Zebra Mussels, Exploring Hudson River PCB data (High School), Exploring Hudson River PCB data (Middle School), Exploring Population Change due to Zebra Mussels, Fecal Coliform Bacteria & Oxygen Levels at Manhattan, Fish and Crab Diversity and Richness Along the Hudson River, Fish Populations & Dissolved Oxygen (Snapshot Day), Full Lower Hudson with Submerged Vegetation, Glass Eels in Hudson River Tributaries (Eel Project), Graphing and interpreting zebra mussel data, Gypsy Moth Egg Masses on Cary Institute Grounds, Historical Hudson Valley Temperature & Precipitation (NOAA). [Exploration with data from Wappinger Creek], Weather: How could storms affect streams? When you draw all the chains together you end up with a food web. Through soil testing and map reading, they learn that soil composition varies from site to site depending on the underlying rock type, overlying vegetation, time, topography, climate, and chemicals carried by water percolating through the soil. 325 0 obj <>stream By 1992 they had spread throughout the freshwater and slightly brackish parts of the estuary. Students read about the Hudson River watershed. Students will know the products and reactants of photosynthesis and be able to explain how the process of photosynthesis affects leaf structure. Each living and non-living part affects others in an ecosystem. Air quality refers to the health and safety of the atmosphere and is determined based on the amount of pollutants in the air. A basic overview of invertebrates found in an aquatic ecosystem. Ongoing work is investigating food-webs in floodplain lakes which support modified biotic communities through the proliferation of introduced fish. A food web can be described as a "who eats whom" diagram that shows the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem. Teaching about the water cycle can be made more realistic and valuable for students by incorporating what they know about water-where it comes from, what happens to it after they use it, and what problems are associated with its use. Riverine ecosystem, any spring, stream, or river viewed as an ecosystem. Student collect data about their schoolyard, neighborhood and town to estimate the amount of water that runs off these places into a nearby stream. Looking at abiotic factors such as stream temperature, stream depth and conductivity can indicate the health of the stream as well as the surrounding land. is an important measure of water quality and can be used to predict information about the local community of organisms. Food Webs of the Hudson River, Part 1 The Hudson's ecosystem is connected by the streams, rainfall, runoff and seepage to the forest, atmosphere, and groundwater systems that are in its watershed and airshed. Through field checking a map or photo scientists can come up with a more accurate map of the area studied which reflects change over time. Ecosphere, 1:1-10. In this way, they learn first hand what an air photo is, and begin to develop the skills of land cover classification and quantification from something that they've created themselves. Bacteria consume the DOM if they have the right tools to do so (the right enzymes). Students will graph Hudson River sea level data from 1970-2015, identify trends in the data, and make predictions about future levels. then feed on. �����4ˁ���d#}�/A�Aݡ�ayk �/�5�/x�(�7��t���]�����v�usWL��O�9�T�:�_�Xk�iF��́� Why do you think zebra mussels affected other organisms? Students will know how Hudson River tomcod evolved resistance to PCBs and be able to critically compare the way different news outlets choose to tell a scientific story. A food web describes a number of overlapping food chains and is usually a more accurate description of feeding patterns in an ecosystem. Student teams will look at the first two graphs during Part 2 of the lesson and look at the final graph during Part 3. 2. Students will know how dissolved oxygen enters water and be able to explain at least two variables that affect the amount of dissolved oxygen in water. To collect your own plankton, a great option is to use a plankton tow, which can be easily made from household items. during the early stages of the zebra mussel invasion of the Hudson River. Students will know how to test for salt pollution in a water sample and will be able to explain whether their sample is contaminated by salt. the physical environment – percolation of water into soil, the social dimension – people’s use of the schoolyard, Protoslo to slow movements of organisms, available through science supply companies, Copies of Student Worksheet packets, Reading, Microbes Identification, Mini-graphs Sets, Computers with internet access for Part 1 (can be done in class or independently). How do two species differ in the amount of transpiration that takes place from their leaves over the course of 1 week? This unit's focus is on the  characteristics and historical drivers that primarily shaped the Hudson River ecosystem before European settlement. Strayer, D.L, and L.C. Students propose how dead plants disappear over time, then examine mold, and talk about microbes as decomposers. This includes all of the connections between producers and consumers in an ecosystem. A basic introduction to chloride and salt pollution. The rest is lost as waste, movement energy, heat energy and so on. predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC), for an entire ecosystem are based on the use of assessment factors to extrapolate from single-species toxicity data derived in the laboratory to community-level effects on ecosystems. Students hear a story of a scientist who studies microbe decomposers, then plan and take a trip outside to collect items for culturing microbes. How is the flux of carbon in an ecosystem affected by sunlight? What organisms seem to specialize in one or two habitats? Have you ever thought about the animals and plants that live in and around a river and how they depend on each other for food? This food web shows the role played by invertebrates (animals without backbones), such as mayflies and stoneflies, in freshwater ecosystems. Long term record of maximum annual temperature at Poughkeepsie (air). Help students understand that living organisms can change abiotic factors in the environment, and these changes in turn can cause biota in the water to respond. Do seed eaters have preferences for specific kinds of seeds? Scientists make hypotheses at the beginning of any scientific study. An ecosystem is the sum of interactions between plants, animals and microorganisms and between them and non-living physical and chemical components in a particular natural environment. The collect and display their data in appropriate graphs in order to examine the factors that influence an animal's ability to survive. Show the first portion of the “Hudson River Food Webs” PowerPoint, including the slide entitled: Zebra Mussels arrived in the Hudson River in 1992 to introduce students to zebra mussels. The “Meet the Scientists” link brings you to both readings and videos. NOTE: A key to this chart is provided at the end of this lesson plan. Students will use information from the website to complete page 1. Review answers with students. Students will explore where water exists inside and outside of their school and create a class bar graph of their data. Students will understand the different aspects of water quality and be able to use water quality test kits to practice testing for pollutants. There are separate versions of the lessons that are appropriate for middle school and high school students. Students will know the effects of deforestation on an ecosystem and be able to use data to explain ways that deforestation impacts a stream. many different (and changing) microhabitats. Through a game and outdoor investigation, students compare the behavior of animals in different areas of the schoolyard and experience an authentic ecological research method. The accuracy of the map can be improved through the knowledge gained by field checking. Students will know that the presence of humans has an impact on soil communities in their schoolyard. A short reading about pollution that causes a change in pH of aquatic systems. In addition to providing units that include secondary data, these materials also highlight the ecological nature of science by providing lessons that focus on key habits of mind to help students think like an ecologist. Students set up experiments to test the effects of compost tea on plant growth, learn about plant development, then monitor their experiments for 3-5 weeks. In these lessons, students construct their own understanding of ecosystems through investigations in their schoolyard, developing ideas about ecological processes and functions. This will provide information and review about the food webs you will discuss with students. There are basically three different types of food chains in the ecosystem, namely – Grazing food chain (GFC) – This is the normal food chain that we observe in which plants are the producers and the energy flows from the producers to the herbivores (primary consumers), then to carnivores (secondary consumers) and so on. Students will know how streams become polluted with salt using first and second hand data, and will be able to make a prediction about future chloride levels in their local watershed stream. Invertebrates are an important link in the food web as they convert the energy in plant and other organic matter into protein (their own bodies). Lower level students may need help understanding how bacteria, detritus, and phytoplankton are involved in the food web. What eats what? Students will know how temperature affects aquatic organisms' metabolism and be able to graph data and interpret results from an experiment examining metabolic effects. Finally, they analyze a real air photo of their school site, identify land cover types, try to quantify these, and ground truth them through field reconnaissance. These animals and plants form an ecosystem, which includes all the living things and the habitat in which they live. Place orders for prepared slides or live animals in advance. Have groups share their food webs. A food web consists of all the food chains in a single ecosystem.Each living thing in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains. This provides redundancy in food options and so makes the food web more resilient to a decrease in abundance of a group of organisms should conditions become unfavourable. Which insects live on grasses and bushes in fields and lawns? Wetlands play a vital role in protecting habitats for fish and other wildlife, improving water quality, and creating a buffer for storm surges and floodwaters. The food web shows how interconnected all of the different organisms are. variability in the flow rates of water. Videos feature Dr. Strayer and other Cary Institute scientists. Does decomposition vary in different places? The annual Riverkeeper Sweep is a day of service for the Hudson River. Students will gain data indicating how frequently the different areas of the schoolyard are used. Because the snails are fully aquatic, mercury cycled back into the river's detrital food web when they died. Microbial productivity was measured for both bacteria and fungi. (Red vertical lines on the graphs mark 1992, the year when zebra mussels began to be prevalent in the estuary, and 2005, when a major shift in zebra mussel populations was recorded by scientists.) Students will investigate the physical and chemical parameters of a waterway, discuss the impact of different types of land cover, and use data from Wappinger Creek collected before, during, and after a storm to examine the effects of storm water on a small stream. Air pollution from traffic can be a major problem in many parts of the world. In this module students will learn how land use has changed in the Hudson River watershed, both in geologic history and in more recent times in response to human pressures. Food web studies in the Murray–Darling Basin The riverine-floodplain system Food webs can be considered to be the flow of energy, or carbon, through ecosystems. Using aerial photographs Land Classification to determine what covers the schoolyard Land cover percentage (Building on skills from “Candyland Elementary School Land Use” lesson). Data collected at Wappinger Creek on the grounds of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies during a major storm event, plus storm event data from another local stream (Red Oaks Mill) and the Hudson River during a hurricane (Hurricane Floyd). Students will know the origins of cadmium in the Hudson River, and will be able to integrate information from maps and text to describe how and why distribution of cadmium changed from 1975 to 1983. A fact sheet about the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. Strayer, D. Fischer, and H.M. Malcolm. 1. This lesson introduces new and exciting research conducted on the Tar-Pamlico River while addressing essential terminology for understanding the interdependence of plants and animals with their ecosystems including food chain, food web, energy pyramid, adaptation, decomposers, producers and consumers. The next day they process their findings. Pond Food Web 32. In the sea the biotic factors are any large fish or sea creatures living in that area, also any small organisms like shrimp and other things you can see. Students will work to include locations of different features on a schoolyard as seen from a side view. The sun is the starting source of energy for CVNP’s ecosystems. As steps along the way, students create a three dimensional model of the school site based on their initial field observations. Evaluate: To complete page 3 in their packet, students should use the Hudson River Food Webs Reading assignment. This ecosystem has producers, first-level consumers, second-level consumers, and third-level consumers. Students will know how the zebra mussel has changed the Hudson River ecosystem and be able to explain how a biotic change affects the abiotic conditions in the Hudson River. How does salt pollution impact plants & animals? Trapa is a floating invasive species that was introduced to the Hudson River. These data show the annual average water temperature for the Hudson River at Poughkeepsie, NY from 1946-2012. For example, the 1st level forms the base of the pyramid and is made up of producers. If so, what processes are involved that may influence the amount of rainfall, or throughfall, that reaches the ground? A wastewater travel log, Who Eats What Exhibition- Performance Assessment, Wildlife Distribution & Abundance in Managed Ecosystems, Worms, Water, and People on the Schoolyard, MST 1 - Mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, MST 2- Informational Systems/ Information Technology, MST 4- Physical setting, living environment and nature of science, MST 5- Engineering and computer technology to satisfy societal needs, MST 6- Interconnectedness of mathematics, science, and technology (modeling, systems, scale, change, equilibrium, optimization), MST 7- Problem solving using mathematics, science, and technology (working effectively, process and analyze information, presenting results), Student Worksheets for Hudson River Food Webs. (High School), Do Hudson River striped bass PCB levels vary by location? Students learn about both the biotic and physical history of the Hudson River ecosystem, including its geology, tides, and watershed. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects temperature and precipitation data from around the world and displays it on their Climate at a Glance website. For example, when predators consume herbivores, the plants that the herbivores would … The kick netting technique is also useful if leaf packs are washed away or dislodged and contents are no longer present in the pack. This can also be done while students are rotating through the microscope stations. Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem. Youngsters try to explain differences based on environmental conditions they can observe - soil conditions, ground cover and local physical conditions. A series of pictures and descriptions identifying common invertebrates found in litter packs. Explore: Introduce the six groups of organisms used in this activity: Phytoplankton (Chlorophyll), Nauplii (immature copepods), Rotifers (microzooplankton), Copepodsand Cladocerans (both are macrozooplankton), and Unionids (native mussels including the pearly mussel). Students will know how to answer the question, “Are fish more contaminated from different locations in the River?” and be able to provide evidence to support their answer. Key words: Ecosystem, Food web, Lakes, Rivers Fig-1.1 INTRODUCTION Freshwater ecology is a specialized sub category of the overall study of organisms and the environment. Students trace water through the community, and understand how filtration, gravity and microbes clean wastewater. What eats it? Students will evaluate available resources in order to create and maintain a native species environment. The waters are flowing (lotic) and exhibit a longitudinal gradation in temperatures, concentration of dissolved material, turbidity, and atmospheric gases, from the source to the mouth. Unlike biology, ecology refers to the study of not just organisms but how they react, and are affected by the natural surrounding environment or ecosystem. Includes the major groups of living things in ponds, and a short discussion of eutrophication, along with the importance of detritus. See more ideas about aquatic ecosystem, ecosystems, aquatic. increased mortality of an invasive mussel. Figure 1. Students will decide whether their local stream or the larger Hudson River are healthy, using chemical and physical characteristics, and be able to collect data to support or negate their hypotheses. Students will know the concept of biomagnification and be able to explain how biomagnification relates to cadmium levels in blue crabs in the Hudson River. The SWEAP materials and activities assist teachers in guiding their students as they compare the ecology of three small watersheds with different land uses (e.g., agricultural, forested, developed). The arrows indicate what eats what. An alternative to leaf pack sampling for macroinvertebrates is using the kick netting technique. Pace, M.L., S.G. Findlay, and D. Fischer. Hydrofracking is a gas production technique where the natural gas is extracted from rock deep underground using a cocktail of water and chemicals (fracking fluid), injected with high pressure. Hudson River estuary. In this dataset, students can explore the relationship between childhood lead levels, county, and poverty level, and explore how these relationships have changed over time. This is a simplified dataset created from the full data collected by the Eel Project. Divide students into six teams, one for each organism. Students will know that environmental changes act as a selection filter and be able to explain these processes using the example of cadmium resistance in Foundry Cove mud worms. What happens to streams when it rains, both in urban and in rural areas? Students will know what level of salt concentration affects aquatic plants and/or animals, and will be able to explain the results of an experiment to determine these levels. There are two major zones: rapids, The nutrients then fertilize the river, providing food for the salmon fry when they emerge. Do different tree species occur along the edge versus the interior of a forest? Food Chains / Food Webs The interrelationship between species in the river, wetland, grassland, and woodland habitats of the Platte River prairie ecosystem is a complex, dynamic food system. Ask students to sketch, individually or in pairs, a food web for the Hudson River. If you think of precipitation as the rain above the tree canopy and throughfall as the rain below the canopy, then plotting the two together gives you an idea of how the canopy is altering the chemistry of the rain. Students will know which characteristics of maple seeds help them travel farther and be able to explain why is this important. On page 2 of their packet is a place to sketch the organisms. Decomposers are also a part of the food web. Kahnle. 6 minutes ago. Oecolgia, 165:1063-1072. assessment of river assemblage responses to experimen-tal floods, process-based studies of food web interac-tions and ecosystem processes are needed to help inform future adaptive management decisions. Do large soil organisms (e.g., worms) speed up decomposition? Groups from Manhattan to Troy collect a variety of river data including salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and fish abundance. Students will be able to observe the environment around them and formulate questions based on their own observations. The Food Web in the Hudson. Biotic factors are organisms living in that along with any plants. Students will know what trees live in their schoolyard and will be able to identify at least four trees. The Hudson River has one of the highest levels of PCB pollution of any river on the East Coast. Thinking about the flow of matter and energy with students is one of the key ways of exploring ecosystems. Lessons include using paleoecology to understand change since the last glaciation, and using macroinvertebrates as an indicator for ecosystem health as it relates to land use. The river bed is the water channel itself, while the river banks, called the “riparian zone”, include the land, trees, and water-loving animals and plants along the channel. Engage: Begin by asking a formative assessment question: What lives in the Hudson River? complex food web Dead salmon aren't so much at the bottom of the food chain as at the center of a complex food web that extends from river bottoms to forests far … What foods do ants prefer and why might this be so? Extend: Show the video clip “Results” from the American Museum of Natural History. Students will know that removing an invasive plant can have a variety of impacts and be able to explain some of these impacts using evidence. Using sediment cores collected from deep below the surface of seas and lakes, scientists can analyze things like macrofossils, temperature, pollen, and more from thousands of years ago. Students will know how an aquatic ecosystem works and be able to collect representative organisms, identify the organism and its trophic level, and create a food web of a local aquatic ecosystem. Students will know how salt pollution gets into groundwater, and be able to explain what happens when salt is applied to the ground/roads using data. Students design and carry out indoor or outdoor investigations to learn more about animals' feeding interactions. In this resource, the complex food-webs of wetlands are explored through a case study of the Macquarie Marshes in northern NSW–a designated Ramsar site. You may want to view the animations students will be viewing during Part 1. But that same dead oak tree is food for more insects, which means more meals for woodpeckers. In the Indian River Lagoon System, many organisms compete for food. Students will know how Foundry Cove became the most cadmium-polluted place in the world and will be able to explain the impact on the ecosystem. After building a basic knowledge of the water cycle and water in their schoolyard, students investigate the water budget of a leaf. h�b```�c��� ce`a�8��̣tr��Kfw�5�K&9\��v���r�D����~L;tI'M�:�Y���Z,���=���cJ,I]�x�e�]�[&�]������K���h����}�k@Ƹv� ��0_L2g�E�T �� Basic microbe and bacteria ID guide for students. Students do a controlled experiment to culture microbes living on items they collected outside. Students will know how the application of road salt impacts water quality and be able to discover the different sources of salt as well as the amount of time that salt stays in the aquatic ecosystem. A basic overview of pollution, focusing on the Hudson River watershed. Students recieve a request to survey animals and their food resources on a local site, then talk about what they already know and how they could find out more. This is useful for having students create a food web. Students will draw what they see. The author, Dr. Dave Strayer, is one of the key scientists involved ingoing zebra mussel research. Recovery of native zooplankton associated with The DEC collected a variety of fish in the spring, summer, and early fall when eggs, larvae, and juveniles are more plentiful. Students will know how much water enters and exits their school building, creating a water budget and be able to understand how land cover affects the water that enters the school campus. Part 3: “Small, Medium and Large Zebra Mussels?” Using additional data in the form of graphs, students work in their groups to understand the changes that have taken place in the later years of the invasion. 1210. Caraco, N.F., J.J. Cole, S. Findlay, D. Fischer, G. Lampman, M. Pace, and D. Strayer. Engage: Formative Assessment: How might the Hudson River ecosystem change if a filter feeding organism (one that eats phytoplankton and small zooplankton it filters from the water) were introduced into the Hudson River? How Does Water Chestnut Impact the Hudson River? Food Web Example 8 Oct '14 62Ecology & Ecosystem 61. 303 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<99BAB3524B08C0438B58A7E590CEEF21>]/Index[274 52]/Info 273 0 R/Length 132/Prev 368093/Root 275 0 R/Size 326/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Students will use HRECOS to generate graphs of Hudson River water temperature data from the month of July in the years 2010-2016, identify trends in the data, exceptions to the data, and make predictions about possible causes of the data trends. This dataset shows dissolved oxygen changes over seven years in the Hudson River, clearly showing the differences in seasons (both temperature and dissolved oxygen). food web. Target audience: Years 4 and up What is a ‘wetland’ exactly, and why are they so important? Much of my past research has focused on river-floodplain ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest and the importance of these floodplains for fish. Students will know how to design an experiment to test how a pond ecosystem changes over time due to an invasive mollusk and be able to develop a testable hypothesis, create the experimental set-up, collect data, and carry out the experiment. They also imagine studies that show how organisms relate to the physical environment -- air, water, and soil. This reading includes basic ecology of the water chestnut, along with information about the invasion of this plant in the region. Students analyze a trial involving a dispute about a composting business, then outline how a Special Investigator could gather evidence to help settle the case. Samples were collected from the East Branch of the Wappinger Creek on Cary Institute grounds in Millbrook, NY. Students learn about the factors that determine the quantity and quality of water flowing from any watershed, and the impact this has on aquatic ecosystems. Student will compare macroinvertebrate diversity and abiotic conditions in stream riffles and pools. The video shows scientists in action as they collect data in the field and gives further information about the effects of zebra mussels. River ecosystems (riverscapes) encompass ecological, social, and economic processes (ecosystem functions) that interconnect organisms (ecosystem structure), including humans, over some time period. Simplified food-web structure in the Waikato River ecosystem. Provides a chart that students can use to remind them of the "normal" ranges for common water quality parameters. Students will know how land use affects water quality and be able to compare water quality in two different aquatic ecosystems. How to create a video lesson on Prezi Video and prepare for next year; 27 May 2020. Using data from the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observation System (HRECOS) you can track the storm and its effect on the river. Ecosystems are defined as all the organisms along with all the components of the abiotic environment, interacting together as a system, within specific spatial boundaries. How do populations change in the Hudson River ecosystem, and how do these changes affect the larger ecological community? Lower level students will focus on predator-prey relationships, or one-step relationships, such as the fact that if a new mussel is introduced, there will be fewer phytoplankton in the river. This dataset shows the stream depth, conductivity, discharge, and temperature of the Wappinger Creek. Estuary. This dataset shows how species density and diversity have shifted over time, and how these shifts vary based on location. Students will know the factors that change dissolved oxygen levels and be able to design an experiment to test their ideas. Check with your supplier to find out when to order live animals. Students make and process final observations of their plants, graphs and discuss their data in groups, compile the whole class data, discuss conclusions, then write letters to GROW. … Students will know the benefits of different types of plants in each tidal zone of a tidal marsh wetland and will be able to design a wetland based on specific provided requirements. Most fish and other organisms cannot live below 30% dissolved oxygen saturation, which is considered hypoxic. Students use topographic maps to determine watershed boundaries and better understand how watersheds are delineated. All of the interconnected and overlapping food chains in an ecosystem make up a food web. The food web in the ocean ecosystem is subject to tidal zones, coral reefs, river mouths, estuaries and reefs where saltwater is predominant. Students will hypothesize how a storm event might change the physical and chemical characteristics of a local stream and be able to collect data to support or negate their hypotheses and communicate these results to others. The River Ecology program focuses their research on; providing information on the overall structure and function of aquatic ecosystems; providing specific information on available resources; and evaluating various management, consveration, and restoration practices, to determine how such practices affect aquatic ecosystems. Does the amount of light affect the plant respiration and CO2 production rate? Ecosystems are often destroyed due to the impact of humans or other environmental disasters, such as a flood or drought. An overview of the history of wastewater in New York, including historic newspaper articles from the 19th century. Invertebrates feed on living and dead plant matter, and on each other. However, if you are a submerged aquatic plant and your population has because water transparency has increased due to filter feeding by zebra mussels, the invasion could be “good”. This question can be answered individually or as a class – if you are doing this as a class, ask students to answer the question first on whiteboards so that you can check for understanding. Students complete their work for GROW by working in groups to create advertisements that teach the public about nutrient cycling, and GROW's research and products. These data show water quality levels for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacteria at Manhattan. Large zebra mussels are no longer surviving, which has implications for much of the food web and the interactions between the food web and the abiotic components of the ecosystem. Students will identify abiotic characteristics of pools and riffles in a stream and analyze, interpret, and display data they collected on during their field trip to Wappinger Creek. Students will know how the water cycle has been altered by humans using local data. Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Students will know the difference between a pulse and a press event with regards to eutrophication and be able to graph the growth of algae over time. Illustration of how food sources influence Lyme transmission. Engage: Formative Assessment: How did zebra mussels affect the dissolved oxygen and water transparency of the Hudson River? A food chain shows how a group of living things get their food. Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem. Researchers searched the following substrates within the plots: live trees, dead trees, leaf litter, and rocks. Part 2, “Invasion of the Zebra Mussels – Population Changes” In teams, students analyze graphs to investigate population data for Hudson River organisms before the zebra mussel invasion and during the early invasion years. Have students complete the student packet. Conventional food web models are mostly limited to lake or marine ecosystems. Lastly, students understand that soils in a watershed affect the chemistry and quantity of water as it percolates through them. Students will know how a stream changes during and after a storm and be able to create and/or interpret graphs demonstrating these changes. Students will learn about the habitat and life cycle of stream invertebrates with a focus on how the life history of aquatic invertebrates is connected to the terrestrial ecosystem. Daphnia, which students may have looked at in Part 1, are cladocerans.) In this unit, students explore how fracking might affect turbidity levels using secondary data from streams in Arkansas and a first-hand investigation on turbidity in a pond microcosm. Explain: Show the American Museum of Natural History video, “Going Further,” to introduce the changes in zebra mussel class sizes first noticed about 2005. Students will use HRECOS graphs of Hudson River water temperature data from the month of July in the years 2010-2016, identify trends in the data, exceptions to the data, and make predictions about possible causes of the data trends. Students brainstorm and share what they already know about wetlands, and sketch a simple tidal marsh diagram with vegetation zones and appropriate organisms. Does the total number of tree species differ in different parts of a forest stand? A food chain describes how different organisms eat each other, starting out with a plant and ending with an animal. Students will know where light is more and less available and be able to measure the differences in leaf area and stomata density between leaves in the sun and in the shade.
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