Test today & Homework for Next Class

Today students had a test on communities, ecosystems and biomes.  In preparation for next week, please read section 5.1 - How Populations Grow and take notes (you'll have a reading quiz).

Aquatic Ecosystems Presentations

Today G period gave mini presentations on the various aquatic ecosystems.  Tomorrow you have your test on Chapter 4 and section 3.1.

Chapter 4 and section 3.1 test

Here's some information about your test on Friday:

There are multiple choice and short answer questions.  You do not need to focus on the specific plants and animals found in each biome, instead, focus more on the human impacts to these biomes (this will also help you to prepare for your Harkness discussion).  You should know about the different types of community interactions, as well as the different types of ecological succession.  You are not responsible for pages 88 and 89.

Test on Friday

This is your reminder that on Friday you have a test on section 3.1 and chapter 4.  

Terrestrial Biomes

Today C period reviewed the characteristics of the eight major biomes.  Tomorrow C period you will have your mini-presentations on the  aquatic biome that you were assigned in class.

You only need to refer to information from the book and your talk should be no more than 5 minutes long.  Each person must speak.

Climate Graphs

Our essential question for this week is: Why are there different biomes and what is the relationship between a biome and an ecosystem?


Today for C period (tomorrow for G period) students created climate graphs using actual data for 16 sites around the world.  


Part 1: 
Data from the Bates Institute for Climate Research was not saved properly.  You have been asked to match up the sample sites with the data.  


1. Using the information on the index card, plot the latitude and longitude of the two sites you have been given.


2. Based on what you know about the shape of climate graphs and your knowledge of geography  use the space on the back of the worksheet to make predictions about the shape of the climate graphs for the two unknown sites.


3. Once you have completed the predictions, open the file you have been emailed "Climate Graph Data."  Watch the video below for how to create a graph that displays multiple types of data.  Be sure to label and title your graph appropriately.  





If you do not have Excel, you should make the graphs on paper.

4.  Use this map to determine the biome for each of your sites.

Homework:
5. Write a paragraph for EACH site that describes the general characteristics of that biome.  Make sure you include:

The major types of vegetation
Dominant species
Human threats to this biome (this information you may need to research independently of the map site).

TED Talks for your next Harkness Discussion

On Friday May 4th you will have a Harkness discussion that will open with the following prompt:


Discuss the relationship between human population growth and impacts on the biosphere.  


To begin your preparation, watch the following TED Talks.  Take notes and think about how you can craft strong discussion questions.  


Was the last Harkness discussion a blur?  Check out this website with all the reminders you need. 


Brian Skerry Reveals Oceans Glory -- and Horror



Jeremy Jackson: How we wrecked the oceans

Marine Succession

Today we learned about succession in Marine ecosystems.  We listened to Radio Lab's Loops Podcast (minutes 28 to 35) and watched Sharon Shattuck's Whale Fall (below).


Whale Fall (after life of a whale) from Sharon Shattuck on Vimeo.

See what organisms you can identify from the puppets and the Podcast in this actual footage of a decomposing whale.

 

Community Interactions

Today G period learned about the following types of community interactions:

Competition
Predation
Symbiosis
     - mutualism
     - commensalism
     - parasitism

Below are the video clips we watched in class to illustrate these concepts.

Mutualism - "What good for one is good for two."


Mutualism-


Parasitism-

Ecology Part 2

Yesterday (or today for G period) we started the second half of our unit on ecology with this essential question:

What is an ecosystem and what are the factors that shape an ecosystem?

We began by learning about the levels of organization in the Biosphere, biotic and abiotic factors as well as comparing a habitat and a niche.

Today C period expanded on the concept of a niche by learning specifically about various types of interactions between species (G period will do this tomorrow).