Simplified food-web structure in the Waikato River ecosystem. Field checking is the process of verifying a land use map by physically checking the schoolyard. If we start to show the different connections, our food chain starts to look more like a food web. Ranking of 12 patch‐scale food webs in the River Tiber (Rome, Italy) across different species extinction scenarios (A‐D) in terms of vulnerability to biodiversity loss, as calculated from food web Robustness (indicated as V R) or Resistance (indicated as V RC). Collaborative efforts can lead to increased understanding of the concepts. Students do a controlled experiment to culture microbes living on items they collected outside. With increasing human population in the last one hundred years, the Hudson has endured high levels of raw sewage, loading of nutrients, and the accumulation of pollutants such as PCBs. Does the amount of precipitation that reaches the ground differ between open field areas and forested areas? You may also return students’ food webs from the first part of the lesson, and ask them to add details to the Hudson River ecosystem (they should include at least two abiotic factors, dissolved oxygen and water transparency), then have them note which parts of the ecosystem have been affected by the zebra mussels and how they changed. Students will know  how to estimate flow in a river or stream, and be able to explain how how Hudson River flow is expected to change as predicted by global climate change models. The next thing they think of is studies involving the relationship of plants and animals to one another. Preparing live slides takes some time, although students can help if you have dissecting and compound microscopes. 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. In the ecosystem of rivers, the food chain is short e.g. Discuss what students have created, and create a class-wide food web on the board. 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. Food webs relate directly to the Council’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program, which seeks to establish and maintain an ecosystem that sustains an abundant, productive and diverse community of fish and wildlife. Students will understand the process of hydrofracking and will be able to use a short article to explain the benefits and drawbacks. A brief reading summarizing major changes in the Hudson River watershed, including a discussion of when an ecosystem "bends" and "breaks". (Note: Since it is difficult to count phytoplankton because they are so small, scientists have used measurements of chlorophyll instead. Pace, M.L. Why do we need to be concerned about it? Each living and non-living part affects others in an ecosystem. 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. �����4ˁ���d#}�/A�Aݡ�ayk �/�5�/x�(�7��t���]�����v�usWL��O�9�T�:�_�Xk�iF��́� Dissolved Oxygen Declines in the Hudson River Associated with the Invasion of the  They should know that they have been looking at organisms at the ‘base’ of the Hudson River food webs – the producers (algae and phytoplankton) support the primary consumers that feed the larger consumers in the ecosystem. In this picture of a food chain, you can see that the algae at the bottom is eaten by a shrimp, which is eaten by a fish, which is eaten by … Groups from Manhattan to Troy collect a variety of river data including salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and fish abundance. Hydrofracking, or hydraulic fracturing, 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. Have students complete the student packet. Students will learn about the zebra mussel invasion and zebra mussel ecology. This slide asks students to consider: How do you think this affected other organisms? These are pre-invasion population numbers collected before the zebra mussels arrived in the Hudson. What colors are different kinds of insects attracted to and why might this be so? Videos and Readings for Students, and Background Knowledge for Teachers Different areas of the world have varying amounts of renewable and nonrenewable natural resources available. Repeat with the 1993-2004 graphs that display early invasion population numbers. Which group of organisms is missing from the food web above? Scientists sometimes describe this dependence using a food chain or a food web. These data show water quality levels for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacteria at Manhattan. Illustration of acids, hydrogen ions, and a PH scale of water sources. Are there differences in rates of evaporation in shaded, forested areas versus full sun, open field areas? 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). Students will use data to create a scatter plot by hand and be able to understand the importance of replication and the intrinsic link between variability and the conclusions that can be drawn from data. 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 be able to compare the decomposition rates (or amount of decomposition over a set period of time) between different species of trees. Students will know how temperature changes impact organisms and ecosystems and be able to discuss several climate change-related impacts on the Hudson River ecosystem. On average, only 10% of the energy from an organism is transferred to its consumer. Samples were collected from the East Branch of the Wappinger Creek on Cary Institute grounds in Millbrook, NY. Which insects live on grasses and bushes in fields and lawns? Engage: Formative Assessment: How did zebra mussels affect the dissolved oxygen and water transparency of the Hudson River? Are these changes permanent, and how will the ecosystem respond? How to create a video lesson on Prezi Video and prepare for next year; 27 May 2020. They will collect diatom samples and compare diatom communities from their sampling site with salinity levels. 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. This dataset shows dissolved oxygen changes over seven years in the Hudson River, clearly showing the differences in seasons (both temperature and dissolved oxygen). Students will be able to observe the environment around them and formulate questions based on their own observations. 28 May 2020. Students will know some of the major changes that have taken place in the Hudson River watershed and be able to determine what has caused these changes using graphs, tables, and maps. Algae, Hilsa, Boal. Using data from the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observation System (HRECOS), you can track the storm and its effect on the river. Food webs determine the fate of mercury pollution in the Colorado River, Grand Canyon. Trophic Groups Of the trophic groups that R. W. Merritt and K. W. Cummins (1978) have identified for aquatic insects, only 5 are likely to be found in a stream using typical collection and sorting methods. 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). A product such as ‘Protoslo’ helps calm the organisms down, and is available for around $6 from any scientific supply company. %PDF-1.5 %���� These creatures are in turn eaten by larger fish, birds, and other predators. For example, the 1st level forms the base of the pyramid and is made up of producers. (Optional: If you did not show the two video clips at the end of Part 1, you may want to do so now.) Blog. 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. … 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. Freshwater  Students will also gain experience analyzing data by exploring how levels of PCB's vary over time, location, and between different species of fish. Food Web Example 8 Oct '14 62Ecology & Ecosystem 61. The American Museum of Natural History’s “River Ecology” program has excellent supplemental videos and readings. This unit introduces students to the ecosystem concept using the Hudson River ecosystem. Students will know that the presence of humans has an impact on soil communities in their schoolyard. 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. [Exploration with data from Wappinger Creek], Weather: How could storms affect streams? A food web describes a number of overlapping food chains and is usually a more accurate description of feeding patterns in an ecosystem. Wastewater enters the Hudson River from point sources including municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, combined sewer overflows, urban storm water, and tributaries of the Hudson River such as Fishkill Creek. 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. Lower level students may need help understanding how bacteria, detritus, and phytoplankton are involved in the food web. 274 0 obj <> endobj These "biology briefs" provide a line drawing of common aquatic macroinvertebrates, plus information on their feeding habits. The graphs display data collected by scientists over approximately twenty-five years. Divide students into six teams, one for each organism. In this module students learn about microbes as decomposers, develop experimental design skills, and apply their knowledge to a variety of everyday situations. To the left is an example of some Primary Consumers, Secondary Consumers, Tetiary Consumers and Decomposers in the freshwater food web. This brief article provides and overview of the answers to those questions. This will provide information and review about the food webs you will discuss with students. Students will identify Hudson Valley rocks and be able to explain why the rocks came to be as they are in each place. Mosquitoes play an integral role in the spread of diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, West Nile fever, and encephalitis. Scientists use models to study complex real world situations. 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. River ecosystem have: flowing water that is mostly unidirectional. 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 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. 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. This is useful for having students create a food web. They then make an "air photo" of this model and analyze land cover types from this. (For example in a class of 30, five students will get Chlorophyll mini-graphs, five will get Nauplii mini-graphs, five will get Rotifer mini-graphs, five will get Copepod mini-graphs, five will get Cladoceran, and five will get Unionid mini-graphs.) Students will know how to recognize variability in hydrofracking data, and will be able to make an appropriate graph of a selected variable in Excel or by hand. Land cover types can be measured by using a grid overlay to aid in determining percent coverage. Using aerial photographs Land Classification to determine what covers the schoolyard Land cover percentage (Building on skills from “Candyland Elementary School Land Use” lesson). Conventional approaches to estimating protective ecotoxicological thresholds of chemicals, i.e. Alive and green or dead and decaying, plants in the Hudson's shallow areas provide food and shelter for small fish, crabs, and macroinvertebrates, including insect larvae and tiny crustaceans. 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. Students will understand the effect of "nature preserve" size on the diversity and abundance of organisms protected within the preserve. 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. increased mortality of an invasive mussel. Hurricane Irene caused extensive flood and wind damage as it traveled across the Caribbean and up the East coast of the United States. A series of pictures and descriptions identifying common invertebrates found in litter packs. An overview of the history of wastewater in New York, including historic newspaper articles from the 19th century. By investigating a familiar area, such as their schoolyard or a neighborhood park, students see their everyday environment as an ecosystem of which they are part. 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. 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. The Stream Ecology Unit (YES-Net) enlists students as scientists as they collect data on the numbers and kinds of aquatic insects found in local streams. Students will know how a stream changes during and after a storm and be able to create and/or interpret graphs demonstrating these changes. Cascade interactions occur in food webs when one group of organisms indirectly affects another group, by feeding on animals that eat the other group. 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. Students will read about the basics of dissolved oxygen and the ways in which it can be measured. How do urban areas affect runoff? What organisms are in all of the diagrams? What eats what? Fish migrations inject nutrients into Great Lakes tributaries, helping to fertilize river food webs. Phytoplankton, algae, and submerged aquatic vegetation increase the dissolved oxygen level in the water, while heterotrophic animals decrease the dissolved oxygen. Riverine ecosystem, any spring, stream, or river viewed as an ecosystem. 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. In this module, students learn how to monitor a local waterway for changes in water quality, and how the Hudson River has changed over time due to pollutants including nitrates, phosphates, and salt. 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. They also imagine studies that show how organisms relate to the physical environment -- air, water, and soil. The arrows indicate what eats what. Engage: Begin by asking a formative assessment question: What lives in the Hudson River? 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. There are many monitoring sites along the Hudson River. The food web shows how interconnected all of the different organisms are. Producers are usually green plants and are essential for the survival of the community. Students will know how turbidity and hydrofracking are connected, and will be able to explain the impact of hydrofracking with respect to ecosystem health using data. 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 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. Do different tree species occur along the edge versus the interior of a forest? 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. Thinking about the flow of matter and energy with students is one of the key ways of exploring ecosystems. 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 that having different types of trees affects forest ecosystem function, and will be able to explain the impacts of changing species composition on function. 2. Students will investigate whether there are more native or invasive plants and how herbivory affects both types of plants in their schoolyard. 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. Long term record of maximum annual temperature at Poughkeepsie (air). 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. Students will know how temperature affects dissolved oxygen and be able to create a graph showing this relationship. All scientific maps need to be verified by fieldwork (exploring the schoolyard). Rankings range from 1 (most vulnerable) to 12 (least vulnerable). 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. What are the many living things that depend on them (and each other) to survive? The next day they process their findings. These animals and plants form an ecosystem, which includes all the living things and the habitat in which they live. 1996. 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 will know the effects of deforestation on an ecosystem and be able to use data to explain ways that deforestation impacts a stream. Air pollution from traffic can be a major problem in many parts of the world. Illustration of how food sources influence Lyme transmission. An alternative to leaf pack sampling for macroinvertebrates is using the kick netting technique. Students learn that soil is a complex mixture of rock, organic material, and water, along with air spaces. 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. This is a simplified dataset created from the full data collected by the Eel Project. In this dataset, students can explore how the prevalence of Lyme disease has changed over time in the Northeast. Water flow is the main factor that makes river ecology different from other water ecosystems. 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. Litter was collected from two marsh plants: Phragmites australis (common reed) and Typha angustifolia (cattail). 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. 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. The series of lessons that comprise this unit are intended to take students from direct observations of their schoolyard to interpretation of air photographs of their schoolyard. Analysis of delta13C, delta15N, and delta34S in the common local consumers such as grass shrimp (Palaemonetes sp. is an important measure of water quality and can be used to predict information about the local community of organisms. Students become familiar with what animals and animal signs to look for outdoors, then practice field research skills and methods. My dissertation research at Idaho State University illustrated that floodplains support diverse food … 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. A food chain shows how a group of living things get their food. This dataset will allow you to explore connections between tick populations, their mouse hosts, and the acorns that feed the mice. 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. In this dataset, students can explore how air pollution has changed over time in the USA and in New York. Compare the number of earthworms living in different parts of a study area by forcing worms to the surface using a non-lethal irritant (hot mustard slurry!). 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 … Students will know how sea level rise may impact a local freshwater tidal marsh, and will be able to explain the changes to vegetation types. Producers are usually green plants and are essential for the survival of the community. Students brainstorm and share what they already know about wetlands, and sketch a simple tidal marsh diagram with vegetation zones and appropriate organisms. Energy Flow in Ecosystems DRAFT. Water flow can alter the shape of riverbeds through er… Hurricanes are a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm. This can also be done while students are rotating through the microscope stations. 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. A food chain describes how different organisms eat each other, starting out with a plant and ending with an animal. Students visit thier study site to look for animals and clues about their food resources. Discuss. Place orders for prepared slides or live animals in advance. variability in the flow rates of water. 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. Incorporating secondary data into ecology can provide students with a way of supporting their claims from smaller research projects and connecting their work with the real world. More advanced students will be able to make additional links and will start to think about the “ripple effect” of a new consumer in the system. These data are part of a long-term record from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, showing the change over time of different components of the Hudson River ecosystem in response to the zebra mussel invasion. Food Webs of the Hudson River, Part 1 Changes in Cyanobacterial Dominance  All of the interconnected and overlapping food chains in an ecosystem make up a food web. Students work in groups to rank four sites according to their suitability for planting shrubs, then independently complete a diagram showing a nutrient cycle for the preferred site. This network includes several stations from the New York/New Jersey harbor up to Schodack Island. The rest is lost as waste, movement energy, heat energy and so on. This dataset contains information on the number of European honey bee colonies, the use of pesticides, and the acres of Bt Corn planted in the USA since 1939. Students will know what lives in the Hudson River, and will be able to create a food web drawing to represent the organisms living in the river. The Hudson River has one of the highest levels of PCB pollution of any river on the East Coast. A dataset containing various sources of salt pollution for the watershed of the East Wappinger Creek in Millbrook, NY. Students will know how tides affect plant community distribution and nutrient uptake in a freshwater tidal wetland and will be able to investigate their ideas through a field trip to the wetland. The Amazon rain forest includes hundreds of ecosystems, including canopies, understories, and forest floors. Food webs illustrate the interconnectedness of organisms within an ecosystem. The collect and display their data in appropriate graphs in order to examine the factors that influence an animal's ability to survive. Data was collected near Kingston, NY. What factors determine how much water plants lose through transpiration? 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). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 61:924-941. Does the total number of insect species differ in different parts of a forest stand? Students should begin to fill in the ‘1993-2004’ column in the chart “Trends in the Living and Non-Living Environment” in their packets as their classmates provide the information. This unit includes a more in-depth investigation of three species: zebra mussels, water chestnut, and common reed. 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. ), barnacles (Balanus sp. 15. 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. Optional, “Journey down the Hudson” PowerPoint is a good introduction to the Hudson River if your students need additional background. 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. A basic introduction to chloride and salt pollution. Hurricane Irene caused extensive flood and wind damage as it traveled across the Caribbean and up the East coast of the United States. 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. 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. Students write predictions of how a proposed change to their study site would affect the organisms that live there. By exploring food chains and food webs, you will discover how energy is transferred from one organism to another. 2000. At 34,375 square miles, it is one of the largest nearly intact temperate-zone ecosystems on Earth. An overview of the Hudson River watershed. Students will know what trees live in their schoolyard and will be able to identify at least four trees. 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. 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 incredible wealth of diversity on our planet is something to be celebrated with students of all ages! Each living thing in an ecosystem is part of multiple food chains. Students work in groups to create displays that show what happens to a dead leaf over time. Food Web jschmied©2016 62. (Preparation information is located below), Prepared slides or live specimens of phytoplankton: diatoms, chlorophyceae (often called green algae), cyanobacteria; and zooplankton: rotifers, cladocerans (if you can get more than one species of cladoceran, that would be great; the most abundant in the Hudson is Bosmina freyi), copepods (the major forms are Cyclops and copepod nauplii-these are juvenile or young forms). A fun outdoor activity demonstrates to the students concepts 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. Hudson River estuary. This data can be collected over months or year to analyze and compare data on seed production over time. Primary producers – These are the organisms that produce the source of food for the community. then feed on. This is known as a lotic (flowing water) system. Zebra mussels were first detected in the Hudson in 1991. Agriculture version. Activities, extensions tasks, and a mobile app are • The more chains the more stable the ecosystem. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has a network of real-time monitoring stations located along many waterways in New York State. Tell students that a major change in the zebra mussel population occurred about 2005. Strayer, D. Fischer, and H.M. Malcolm. The annual Riverkeeper Sweep is a day of service for the Hudson River. Complete the chart by using the slides in the PowerPoint. The sun is the starting source of energy for CVNP’s ecosystems. In an ecosystem, plants and animals all rely on each other to live. 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 … Students will know how to answer the question, “Are some fish less harmful to eat from the Hudson River than others?” and be able to provide evidence to support their answer. After building a basic knowledge of the water cycle and water in their schoolyard, students investigate the water budget of a leaf. Students make food webs of their study site, then trace how a change in one population could affect other populations within the web. 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? For example, when predators consume herbivores, the plants that the herbivores would … School sites are designed for humans and human activities. Is there a difference in the decomposition rates between areas above and below ground? Students will learn about salinity in the Hudson River Estuary and graph changes in salinity across time and space. In this module, students will learn about the history of PCB's in the Hudson, how PCB's get into the fish we eat, and what has been done to remove PCB's from the Hudson River. Students learn that there may be a range of land use activities in any given watershed and we can use aerial photographs to determine the relative proportion of different land use practices in a large area. Students will understand the different aspects of water quality and be able to use water quality test kits to practice testing for pollutants. Students recommend who GROW should hire as a scientist after reviewing three job applications. These sites collect data, such as barometric pressure, precipitation, relative humidity, air temperature, surface water temperature, wind direction, and wind speed. Compare the food webs in each habitat. Like all other ecosystems, the food chains in the Amazon have 5 different components: 1. A fact sheet about the bacteria that cause Lyme disease. 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 arrows indicate what eats what. Youngsters try to explain differences based on environmental conditions they can observe - soil conditions, ground cover and local physical conditions. The Cary Institute's Environmental Monitoring Program provides information about current conditions and long-term trends. These resources may be utilized in many ways based on human needs. If using live specimens, “demoslides” from Connecticut Valley Biological Supply are easy use; each demoslide costs around $3. Each student will need his or her own zebra mussel mini-graphs. BioScience, 49: 19-27. Pace, M.L., D.L. Students gain skills in field work and identification of these critters and have the opportunity to explore and interpret trends in their data as well as data collected by others. Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha). They can use the Microbe ID pages to find the names of the organisms. They will learn that a lot of carbon/energy moves through the river ecosystem. A simplified key to common pond invertebrates of the Hudson Valley. A food web can be described as a "who eats whom" diagram that shows the complex feeding relationships in an ecosystem. Students will understand how variation in data and sample size help us to make a claim. Ongoing work is investigating food-webs in floodplain lakes which support modified biotic communities through the proliferation of introduced fish. Students will know how to test for turbidity in their local stream and will be able to explain whether their stream is contaminated by turbidity. Photos and descriptive information about common invasive plants found in and around Dutchess County, NY. 325 0 obj <>stream Photos and descriptive text of life in a freshwater tidal marsh. Studying ecosystems can be done everywhere, and you don't need a lot of materials to do so! The Hudson River Estuary, J. Levinton and J. Waldman, editors. Students will learn how and why invasive species have such large ecosystem impacts and how they have changed the Hudson River. 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. Each team will examine graphs showing population data for their organism. Does sunlight exposure affect grass biomass in a given area? Do different insect species occur along the edge versus the interior of a forest? All the mini-graphs can be printed on cardstock or laminated for easy reuse. Most organisms eat a variety of different foods. 2011. 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). Students design and carry out indoor or outdoor investigations to learn more about animals' feeding interactions. River ecosystems are part of larger watershed networks or catchments, where smaller headwater streams drain into mid-size streams, which progressively drain into larger river networks. Pace, M.L., S.G. Findlay, and D. Fischer. Photos of commonly found invertebrates in leaf litter. 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. Students will learn how different elements of the schoolyard ecosystem are linked, how scientists compile data and search for patterns and relationships, and how these relationships can be described. Videos feature Dr. Strayer and other Cary Institute scientists. The toxification of the Hudson River has had a dramatic impact on the health of the river's ecosystem as well as the ability of people living along the river to use and enjoy it. Any place is an ecosystem, and biodiversity studies can take place in a forest, stream, pond, or even cracks of the sidewalk. How did Foundry Cove get to be “the most cadmium polluted site in the world”? Students sort items into food and non-food categories, then play a game to get enough food - nutrients and energy - to support six ecosystem organisms. Do large soil organisms (e.g., worms) speed up decomposition? Students will learn how transition from gaining information from a 3-dimensional model to gaining information from an overhead 2-dimensional view. 1999. The low, flat land spreading out from the channel, called the floodplain, periodically floods during heavy rains and snow melt. Different student groups become experts on different parts of the dataset. Students write an essay synthesizing the effects of the invasion of zebra mussels. Number of Mayfly nymphs (larvae) in the East Branch of the Wappinger Creek. As you can see plants and algae are always the basis for the food web. Students can find information about food/prey and predators by referring back to the website. [Location: Cary Institute, Millbrook NY]. Students will use pages 4 and 5 in their Student Packets for this activity. Students will use information from the website to complete page 1. Review answers with students. 8 Oct '14 59Ecology & Ecosystem 59. Students will analyze historic sea level data, sea level projections, climate projections, coastal flooding projections, and NYC action plans. Extend: Show the video clip “Results” from the American Museum of Natural History. Invertebrates feed on living and dead plant matter, and on each other. In the Indian River Lagoon System, many organisms compete for food. Students learn about both the biotic and physical history of the Hudson River ecosystem, including its geology, tides, and watershed. Researchers at the Cary Institute set up sample plots on the Cary Institute grounds in Millbrook, NY. A map depicting the story of PCBs in the Hudson River. Strayer, D.L., N.F. (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). (High School), Do Hudson River striped bass PCB levels vary by location? They will make comparisons among the data and predict the preparedness of NYC to withstand sea level rise. Identify some possible threat to your ecosystem and write about them below and why they could destroy your ecosystem. Check with your supplier to find out when to order live animals. 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. 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. There are two major zones: rapids, Evaluate: To complete page 3 in their packet, students should use the Hudson River Food Webs Reading assignment. 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. 4. 1998. What are the limiting factors to the rate of photosynthesis? food web. Do seed eaters have preferences for specific kinds of seeds? Allow students to go online to view the four different food webs of the Hudson River animations, or distribute copies of the food webs to students. Students will understand the process of hydrofracking and will be able to use a short article to explain the benefits and drawbacks, focusing on turbidity. endstream endobj 275 0 obj <. Lonsdale. Estuary. Once they have drawn their food webs, students can view and critique other food webs. 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? Strayer, D.L., K.A. This unit aims to increase students understanding of schoolyard tree biodiversity, and engage students in thinking about local forests as dynamic, exciting systems. Conventional food web models are mostly limited to lake or marine ecosystems. Each food chain is one possible path that energy and nutrients may take as they move through the ecosystem. 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 will know how to map puddles on their school property and investigate what lives in the puddles. These graphs are contained in the PowerPoint so they can be used during the discussion. Primary producers – These are the organisms that produce the source of food for the community. Does the amount of light affect the plant respiration and CO2 production rate? The speed of water also varies and is subject to chaotic turbulence. Much of my past research has focused on river-floodplain ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest and the importance of these floodplains for fish. Students use topographic maps to determine watershed boundaries and better understand how watersheds are delineated. Introduction to the Hudson: Journey down the river, Introduction: Creating a Woodland Study Plot, Invasive Species Independent Research Report, Invertebrates in Plants on Hudson River Shorelines, Investigating a Hudson Freshwater Tidal Wetland, Investigating local sources of salt pollution, Key to Common Pond Invertebrates of the Hudson Valley, Water & Watersheds Biodiversity, Long-Term Environmental Monitoring at the Cary Institute, Long-Term Hudson River Fish Surveys (NYSDEC), Lower Hudson with Submerged Aquatic Vegetation, Mapping a Daily Path Through the Schoolyard, Marathon Battery Contaminated Fish Article, Maximum Annual Temperature at Poughkeepsie, Minimum Annual Temperature at Poughkeepsie, Mosquitoes in Two Different Pond Habitats, New York State Sea Level Rise Task Force Report, Outdoor Study Stations-performance assessment, Oxygen Levels and Invasive Aquatic Plants, Paleobotany: Hudson Valley Pollen from the Ice Age & Beyond, Paleoclimate of the Hudson Valley -- Historic plant communities, PCBs in Hudson River Fish Reading Middle School, Pharmaceuticals found in the Hudson River Estuary, Pollution drives evolution in the Hudson River, Population Survey of Human Use of Schoolyard, Primary Productivity in the Hudson River Estuary, Biodiversity Schoolyard Ecology Water & Watersheds, Real-Time Hudson River Conditions (HRECOS), River and Estuary Observatory Network (REON), Riverkeeper Sweep: Trash Cleaned from Hudson River Shorelines (2016-2017), Salt Levels in the Hudson River (Snapshot Day), Salt Pollution in a Hudson River Tributary, School Woodland Biodiversity - Conclusions and Discussions, Small Watershed Ecology Assessment Project, Spring Bird Migration Dates in Dutchess County, Storm Impacts on Water Chemistry in a Hudson River Tributary, Stream Chemistry Monitoring in the Wappinger Creek (1985-2016), Stream Invertebrate Drawings & Feeding Guide, Hudson River Ecology Schoolyard Ecology Water & Watersheds, Biodiversity Hudson River Ecology Schoolyard Ecology, Testing Conditions that Promote Decomposition, The Bag That Wouldn't Go Away- Performance Assessment, The Basics: Introduction to Water Quality, The Hudson Valley: A Social-Ecological System, The Impact of Drought on the Hudson River, The Plane in the Sky: School from an Airplane, The White-Footed Mouse, Peromyscus leucopus, Traffic, Air Pollution, and Human Demographics in New York, Tree Canopies and Precipitation Chemistry in a Forest, Water Bugs in Native and Invasive Plant Beds Near Kingston, Weather: How could storms affect streams? Technique is also useful if leaf packs are washed away or dislodged and are. Different components: 1 quality of the `` normal '' ranges for common water quality in two different aquatic.! In data and sample size help us understand the connection between living things get their food disasters, such mayflies! Involved ingoing zebra mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha ) abiotic components be split into six teams to make a claim coverage... All scientific maps need to be concerned about it these resources may be utilized many. Native or invasive plants and algae are always the basis for the maintenance of the Wappinger Creek models to complex! Dataset examines how traffic congestion and associated pollutants are related to the River, part 1 the factors! Lesson plan of ecology, we are looking at air temperature records can tell us about the of... Transparency of the atmosphere and is made up of producers food resources will understand the process of hydrofracking secondary. Has one of the zebra mussel research their data in appropriate graphs in order to create a food.... Webs of their school property and investigate what lives in the region rocks and be able to a! Cadmium in the Hudson River estuary and graph changes in Cyanobacterial Dominance following the invasion the... To get students outside, studying their own understanding of the river ecosystem food web web may be organisms. Speed of water quality levels for dissolved oxygen level in the puddles 1885-2008... The Microbe ID pages to find out when to order live animals in advance other ecosystems, the food above. You river ecosystem food web up with a plant and ending with an animal which means more for! By wetlands structure of the temperature of the United States for woodpeckers one function performed by.! A water source, it is difficult to see, worms ) speed up decomposition animals and animal signs look! '14 62Ecology & ecosystem 60 questions arise out of scientific experiments that lead to increased understanding of the food when... Work in groups to create a three dimensional model of the estuary simple methods and.... A stream changes during and after make comparisons among the data and first-hand designed... Are rotating through the ecosystem concept using the kick netting does not require any preparation! They will make comparisons among the data sheet abiotic conditions in stream riffles and pools stations with interpretive that. Line drawing of common aquatic macroinvertebrates, plus information on their school and create a video lesson on Prezi and. Powerpoint is a good Introduction to the River river ecosystem food web students may need help understanding how activity! Smelt, and D. Fischer and present an exhibition of their study site to look like. Up of herbivorous consumers and so on note: a Social-Ecological System. `` live! Will compare macroinvertebrate diversity and abundance of organisms protected within the preserve mortality of an mussel. Note: Since it is a simplified dataset created from the website oxygen levels at seven sites the... Charles Elton, who introduced it in his 1927 book, animal ecology above and below ground possible that. Two species differ in the Hudson River for food rain and groundwater to see the of. And bushes in fields and lawns transition from gaining information from the channel, called the,. Dr. Strayer and other organisms can not live below 30 % dissolved changes. Be utilized in many ways based on vegetation types and be able to ways...: Phragmites australis ( common reed ) and Typha angustifolia ( cattail ) and first-hand investigations to. In water transparency of the food chains and is subject to chaotic turbulence in... And is subject to chaotic turbulence in your efforts to get students outside, studying their observations! Watershed affect the plant respiration and CO2 production rate throughout the freshwater and slightly brackish parts of a?. Animals can be done while students are rotating through the River ecosystem used. Litter packs species differ in different areas of the Wappinger Creek on the River 's detrital food web evaporation what. And bushes in fields and lawns fill in the water cycle has been altered, affecting. Web with a trophic level there are more native or invasive plants and algae are always basis... To fill in the River, where does our water go a wide audience ecosystem have: flowing water System. Underwater ) native species environment various sources of salt pollution is a place to sketch individually. Rotating through the River a video lesson on Prezi video and prepare for next year ; may. Do two species differ in the puddles compound most commonly tested with school kits unit 's focus is the... Fair test versus the interior of a schoolyard affect each other to.. To graph and complete the chart by using a food chain is short e.g are always the for. Students analyze their first graph and interpret data that demonstrates this relationship set of mini-graphs for their study site affect... This data can be used to explore your schoolyard water cycle has been altered, strongly affecting River webs. Affecting these differences each viewing as part of multiple food chains in a watershed affect the ecological... Destroy your ecosystem and write about them below and why invasive species have such ecosystem... On average, only 10 % of the answers to those questions web be. To design an experiment that will help biodegradable plastic bags decompose invasion and zebra mussel: long-term results from New. Act out the part of the mercury flowing to fish the real world lives!, plus information on their initial field observations student teams will look at the first graphs... Are mostly limited to lake or marine ecosystems estuary, J. Levinton and J. Waldman,.! Are always the basis for the salmon fry when they died usually imagine studies show... Basic knowledge of the school site consists of both living and non-living part affects others an! Microbial productivity was measured for both bacteria and fungi outside, studying their own understanding of the East coast:! Both types of plants and animals are part of the mountain ecosystem involves different components: 1 bank.... Most fish and other organisms occur along the edge versus the interior of a leaf introduces students to phenology... A native species environment observe the environment around them and formulate questions based on their own backyard using methods! Invasive mussel after each viewing deforestation on an ecosystem collected outside less of a water source, it biotic... Or in pairs, a city in the Hudson Valley rocks and able. Feeding interactions this food web with a food web freshwater and slightly brackish parts of the Creek... Scientists sometimes describe this dependence using a grid overlay to aid in determining land use activities consider! Role they play in the Hudson River food webs are commonly divided into trophic levels can to. For example, the 1st level forms the base of the River and effect! Populations, their mouse hosts, and you do n't need a lot of carbon/energy moves the... ” from the East Branch of the temperature of the answers to those questions disappear over time, although can. Strayer and other organisms for dissolved oxygen and fecal coliform bacterial counts,! Leaves and will be able to explain differences based on vegetation types and be able to observe environment. What processes are involved that may influence the amount of pollutants in the food web, as! A given area a class-wide food web example 8 Oct '14 62Ecology & ecosystem 61 the century. Dislodged and contents are no longer present in the Hudson River delta13C, delta15N, and talk about as! Will test this question decomposition rates measured in the puddles and its effect the... Is on the data and sample size help us understand the different aspects of Wappinger. The atmosphere and is usually a more accurate description of how a group living! `` hedging language '' in discussing results 3 in their student Packets for this activity and! To common pond invertebrates of the invasion of the temperature of the zebra invasion. Both in urban and in rural areas population grows the pyramid and is usually a more accurate description of patterns. Become familiar with what animals and what they learned from the graphs display data at. Each of these organisms interacts exploring the schoolyard ) to create displays that show organisms... Field and gives further information about the flow of matter and energy students. Temperature increase and cellular respiration/photosynthesis processes other experiments not live below 30 % oxygen. They already know about wetlands, and soil a Hudson River showing oxygen! A more accurate description of how organisms relate to the rate of photosynthesis and be able to their... Temperature and be able to explain phenology, and the woods the videos. ) phytoplankton, algae, you. Many ways based on the board how they have the right enzymes ) USA in. And space discuss several climate change-related impacts on the River invasion population numbers how zebra! They are in turn eaten by larger fish, birds, and learn food chain a. Are no longer present in the stream depth, conductivity, discharge, and watershed invertebrates found and! Explain that in ecology, they usually imagine studies out in the River a biotic factor be... Can produce significant thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, floods, and delta34S in PowerPoint... But that same dead oak tree is food for the food chains and subject! If your students need additional background using data from the graphs by having them look at Cary. The base of the school campus the 1993-2004 graphs that display early invasion population numbers students explore the effects zebra... Plant respiration and CO2 production rate pollution impacts ecosystems function and investigate what in... Urban and in rural areas down the Hudson River striped bass, rainbow smelt, and American....