Environmental+Science

Environmental Science Biome Project



Your project outline includes the following requirements:
 * Your team will investigate the biome that you have selected.
 * Individual responsibilities:
 * Each partner will be responsible for specific information related to the project:
 * The **Artist ** will be responsible for selecting all artwork associated with the project. Other partners may offer suggestions as to pictures and diagrams, but the final decision for selection belongs to the Artist. In addition, the Artist will research specific topics as assigned by the Organizer.
 * The **Writer** will be responsible for creating the final script. All partners are responsible for providing the notes from their research to the Writer; however, the Writer makes the final decision about the details of the actual script. In addition, the Writer will research specific topics as assigned by the Organizer.
 * The Organizer will be responsible for making sure that each partner (including the Organizer) completed the research assigned to them by the Organizer and that the work is in an accessible file at all times. In addition, the Organizer will make sure that each partner has the phone numbers and email addresses of all members of the team. The Organizer will assemble all items for each checkpoint and provide evidence that all work has been completed up to that point.



Be sure to take thorough notes and document your information!!
 * The following information must be in the final product (video):
 * A chart of the average precipitation over one year for your biome.
 * A chart of the average temperatures over one year for your biome.
 * [|Building charts and graphs]
 * The soil type and minerals of your particular biome.
 * The average number of days of sunlight over one year for your biome.
 * A food chain of the plants and animals of your biome.
 * A food web of the plants and animals of your biome.
 * An energy pyramid using the names of common plants and animals you have researched.
 * A continental map that highlights your biome.
 * Two organisms that illustrate mutualism. Describe the relationship.
 * Two organisms that illustrate commensalism. Describe the relationship.
 * Two organisms that illustrate parasitism. Describe the relationship.
 * Two organisms that illustrate interspecific competition. Describe the relationship.
 * Two organisms that illustrate predation. Describe the relationship.
 * Choose an animal that is well adapted to the biome and explain its adaptations and their contribution to the survival of the animal. (for example, teeth, coloration, speed, hibernation, migration and whether it has a pack or solitary lifestyle). Be sure to include its niche and habitat, how it reproduces, typical number of offspring, its symbiotic or other feeding relationships
 * Create a flyer on the computer that contains the following elements:
 * Describe your biome as to climate, biotic and abiotic factors, common and unusual geographical features, as well as any other elements that are peculiar to your biome.
 * Describe the national parks, monuments or landmarks found in your biome. Include pictures and brief captions.
 * Identify and display the main causes of environmental damage and the solutions that are being developed to correct this damage. Show "before" and "after" pictures with brief descriptions.
 * Your flyer should be colorful, eye-catching and should make others want to see your video.


 * Using Photostory 3, create a video of your biome that includes all the elements listed above.
 * A rubric will be provided for both the [|flyer] and the [|video].

Play the [|Food Chain Game] when you have finished everything else.

 Wetlands Why are wetlands so important ecologically? Wetlands, which consist primarily of swamps and marshes, have several critical characteristics:
 * The soil in a wetland is covered by water or the soil is waterlogged or covered by water at least 7 days between spring and summer.
 * The soil is hydric, which means it doesn't have enough oxygen for most plants to grow.
 * The plant life is adapted to life in the water and can grow without much oxygen.
 * Wetlands help to keep river levels normal by acting as a sponge. They accept water during storms so that, when river levels are low, they can release water back to the river.
 * The soils and plants of wetlands purify surface water by removing nitrogen and phosphorous and even toxic chemicals. Where do these substances come from?
 * In its cleansing capacity, a wetland also helps to improve other ecosystems and control water flow.
 * Wetlands provide nutrients to the river; they release vegetative matter which feeds the fish.
 * Some animals who live elsewhere use the wetlands for migration or for reproduction. While nesting, they feed on the abundant life in the wetlands.
 * Wetlands recycle nutrients received from other ecosystems.

In this activity, you and your classmates will devise a food web for a wetland ecosystem. You are responsible for copying the web into your notes.
 * Part I**

Part II Read the scenarios given to you by your teacher and determine which organism or group of organisms would be affected first.

Part III Analysis:
 * 1) Biological magnification is the tendency of pollutants to b ecome concentrated in successive trophic levels.
 * Draw a wetland food chain (with arrows) showing biological lmagnification resulting from the event described in Scenario 1.
 * How might the entire wetland food web be affected?
 * Which industries do you think might be responsible for dumping pollutants into wetlands and other bodies of water?

2. Eutrophication occurs when an excess of nutrients is dumped into a body of water; it is especially a problem in wetlands because wetlands are not part of a moving water system. Often, eutrophication results when fertilizer sprayed on nearby farm land washes into the wetland. In turn, the algae are fertilized and experience rapid growth, sometimes overtaking the wetland and turning the water green. Here's the problem: algae use oxygen; much algae use much oxygen.
 * Describe how eutrophication could affect the food chain you created in question 1.
 * Infer how this problem could extend throughout the wetland food web.

3. The picture below shows how a mallard duck can be linked to many wetland food chains. The links that form the top half of the circle are animals that might eat a mallard sometime during their lives. The links that form the bottom half are plants and animals a mallard might eat sometime during its life. Each of the links around the mallard also connects to other food chains, building a wetland food web.
 * Is the mallard an herbivore, carnivore, or omnivore? Explain how you know.
 * In which trophic level does the mallard fall in a wetland food web?
 * How does this picture help to explain the problems of biological magnification and eutrophication?