DOCSLIB.ORG

Conservation Connection 5Th-8Th Introduction: the Theme of This Self-Guided Experience Is Conservation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Conservation Connection 5Th-8Th Introduction: the Theme of This Self-Guided Experience Is Conservation Conservation Connection 5th-8th Introduction: The theme of this self-guided experience is conservation. Before visiting the zoo, the students will learn the connections and interactions between abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem and the potential impact of humans on those components. During this self-guided tour students will learn about and observe animals that have been impacted by humans, other organisms, or environmental factors. Students will make connections demonstrating how their daily lives affect animals. Students will learn how precious our natural world is and what the zoo is doing to protect it. Objectives: o Students will be able to identify abiotic and biotic components in an ecosystem o Students will be able to explain how changes to abiotic and biotic components will affect an ecosystem o Students will be able to explain that every animal has a role or niche in an ecosystem that affects the rest of the ecosystem New York State Learning Standards in Science: o Standard 4 (Key Idea 5) Intermediate . compare the way a variety of living specimens carry out basic life functions and maintain dynamic equilibrium . describe the importance of major nutrients, vitamins, and minerals in maintaining health and promoting growth and explain the need for a constant input of energy for living organisms o Standard 4 (Key Idea 6) Intermediate . describe the flow of energy and matter through food chains and food webs Commencement . explain factors that limit growth of individuals and populations . explain the importance of preserving diversity of species and habitats . explain how the living and nonliving environments change over time and respond to disturbances o Standard 4 (Key Idea 7) Intermediate . describe how living things, including humans, depend upon the living and nonliving environment for their survival . describe the effects of environmental changes on humans and other populations Commencement . describe the range of interrelationships of humans with the living and nonliving environment . explain the impact of technological development and growth in the human population on the living and nonliving environment . explain how individual choices and societal actions can contribute to improving the environment Teacher Background Information Conservation and environmental stewardship are at the core of our mission here at the Utica Zoo. Within the Zoo, we strive to impart awareness of the environment and an appreciation for wildlife to our visitors. As a partner in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Zoo also cares for and breeds species that, without human intervention, would face certain extinction. Plants and animals have adapted to changes in the environment for millions of years. However, today's changes are happening faster and on a larger scale than in the past, which makes it difficult for plants and animals to adapt. Changes can affect the types of plants that can grow in an area. Animals' food supplies, water, life cycles, breeding habits, and ranges will be affected too. Some animals will adapt to changing conditions or move elsewhere, but others could have trouble surviving. Some unwelcome invaders (invasive species) could benefit from changes by expanding their range or being able to survive in new places. All these changes will affect the way ecosystems function, and changes to ecosystems affect people, too. That's because we rely on ecosystems to provide us with many services, like clean water, food, and medicines. An ecosystem can be any group of living and nonliving things interacting with each other; they can be as large as the Sahara Desert or as small as a vernal pool. It is made up of abiotic factors and biotic factors. Abiotic factors are non-living chemical or physical factors in the environment, such as soil, pH, forest fire, etc. Abiotic, meaning not alive, affect living organisms. Environmental factors such as habitat (pond, lake, ocean, desert, etc.) or weather such as temperature, cloud cover, rain, snow, hurricanes, etc. are abiotic factors. Biotic factors are created by a living thing or any living component within an environment in which the action of the organism affects the life of another organism, for example a predator consuming its prey. Biotic, meaning of or related to life, are living factors. Plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria are all biotic or living factors. Every living organism in an ecosystem has a role, or job, called a niche. A niche is determined by how organisms obtain energy and how they interact with other organisms. Typically, there are three main roles organisms can play: producer, consumer (primary, secondary, tertiary), and decomposer; having biodiversity among each niche helps to create a stable ecosystem. Over time there are species that are lost to extinction (extinction is usually due to the species inability to adapt to changing conditions) due to natural processes. However, today we are losing species at an alarming rate because of the human impact. We are forcing organisms to adapt at a much faster rate than ever before due to practices like deforestation, habitat fragmentation, degradation, and fossil fuel consumption. Introducing the Topic – Pre Visit Activity Review the definitions of ecosystem and niche. Have the students brainstorm various plants, animals and other components that make up an ecosystem. Be sure to include some abiotic factors such as the sun. Next assign each student one of the components and have them write it on a notecard. Then have them create a circle in an open space. Create a relationship web, starting with the student who has the sun, by giving them a ball of yarn. Have that student hold onto the end and toss it to a student who has a component that is affected by the sun. Continue this until everyone is holding a piece of yarn (have each student explain their relationship with the person they chose to throw the yarn to). Now start to introduce change to the web. Have a student with an abiotic component affected by climate pull on their string. Discuss what happens and what it might represent. Then add another person with an abiotic factor affected by climate pulling at the same time. Then have a student with a biotic component drop their piece of the string. Discuss what the students notice and the potential effects on the rest of the web. If there is time you could have the students come up with different scenarios to try and discuss how each affects the web. This would be a good time to introduce the terms: deforestation, habitat fragmentation, habitat loss. Discuss the impact of changing factors. If a single factor is changed, perhaps by pollution or natural phenomenon, the whole system could be altered. For example, humans can alter environments through farming or irrigating. While we usually cannot see what we are doing to various ecosystems, the impact is still being felt throughout every string of the web. At the Zoo Activity While at the Zoo have students visit each exhibit and identify the animal in each exhibit. Tell the students that while they are at the Zoo they will be collecting data on the conservation status of the Zoo’s collection. Inform the students that each animal has a graphic or sign that will show how that animal is doing in the wild and the reasons for their status. As the students go around the zoo have them complete the Conservation Connection Activity Sheet. They will be going on a conservation scavenger hunt throughout the Zoo and will be able to find all the information they need on the signs. (Chaperones: please guide students through activity as needed) Name_____________________________ Date____________________ Conservation Connection As you tour the zoo, try to find two animals that are critically endangered, two that are endangered, and two that are vulnerable. Observe the animals in their exhibits and determine their place in the food chain (herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, etc.) Then use the exhibit sign to figure out why they are endangered (habitat loss, poaching, etc.) and why they are important to their ecosystem. Find two animals that are listed as vulnerable: 1. ___________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? __________________ Why are they vulnerable? ___________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? __________________ Why are they vulnerable? ___________________________________ Find two animals that are listed as endangered: 1. ____________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? __________________ Why are they endangered? __________________________________ 2. ____________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? __________________ Why are they endangered? __________________________________ Find two animals that are listed as critically endangered: 1. _____________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? ___________________ Why are they critically endangered? ____________________________ 2. _____________________________________________ Are they an omnivore, carnivore or herbivore? ___________________ Why are they critically endangered? ____________________________ Extension: Discuss why each animal is important to its ecosystem. What other biotic factors does it affect? .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard (2012)
    FGDC-STD-018-2012 Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard Marine and Coastal Spatial Data Subcommittee Federal Geographic Data Committee June, 2012 Federal Geographic Data Committee FGDC-STD-018-2012 Coastal and Marine Ecological Classification Standard, June 2012 ______________________________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS PAGE 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Need ......................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Scope ........................................................................................................................ 2 1.4 Application ............................................................................................................... 3 1.5 Relationship to Previous FGDC Standards .............................................................. 4 1.6 Development Procedures ......................................................................................... 5 1.7 Guiding Principles ................................................................................................... 7 1.7.1 Build a Scientifically Sound Ecological Classification .................................... 7 1.7.2 Meet the Needs of a Wide Range of Users ......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Keystone Exam Biology Item and Scoring Sampler
    Pennsylvania Keystone Exams Biology Item and Scoring Sampler 2019 Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction—September 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS INFORMATION ABOUT BIOLOGY Introduction . 1 About the Keystone Exams . 1 Alignment . 1 Depth of Knowledge . 2 Exam Format . 2 Item and Scoring Sampler Format . 3 Biology Exam Directions . 4 General Description of Scoring Guidelines for Biology . 5 BIOLOGY MODULE 1 Multiple-Choice Questions . 6 Constructed-Response Item . 22 Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . 24 Constructed-Response Item . 34 Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . 36 Biology Module 1—Summary Data . .46 BIOLOGY MODULE 2 Multiple-Choice Questions . .48 Constructed-Response Item . 66 Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . 68 Constructed-Response Item . 82 Item-Specific Scoring Guideline . 84 Biology Module 2—Summary Data . .100 Pennsylvania Keystone Biology Item and Scoring Sampler—September 2019 ii INFORMATION ABOUT BIOLOGY INTRODUCTION The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) provides districts and schools with tools to assist in delivering focused instructional programs aligned to the Pennsylvania Core Standards. These tools include the standards, Assessment Anchor documents, Keystone Exams Test Definition, Classroom Diagnostic Tool, Standards Aligned System, and content-based item and scoring samplers. This 2019 Biology Item and Scoring Sampler is a useful tool for Pennsylvania educators in preparing students for the Keystone Exams. This Item and Scoring Sampler contains released operational multiple-choice and constructed-response items that have appeared on previously administered Keystone Exams. These items will not appear on any future Keystone Exams. Released items provide an idea of the types of items that have appeared on operational exams and that will appear on future operational Keystone Exams.
    [Show full text]
  • Cbd Convention on Biological Diversity
    CBD Distr. CONVENTION ON GENERAL BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ENGLISH ONLY ADDIS ABABA PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES FOR THE SUSTAINABLE USE OF BIODIVERSITY INTRODUCTION The Annex to this document contains the Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, as adopted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 6 to 8 May 2003. The Addis Ababa workshop synthesized the outcomes of the three previous workshops on the issue of sustainable use, integrating different views and regional differences, and developing a set of practical principles and operational guidelines for the sustainable use of biological diversity. The resulting Guidelines are still considered to be in draft format until adoption by the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties. /… For reaso ns of economy, this document is printed in a limited number. Delegates are kindly requested to bring their copies to meetings and not to request additional copies Annex Addis Ababa Principles and Guidelines for the Sustainable Use of Biodiversity I. BACKGROUND A. Explanation of the mandate 1. In recent decades, biodiversity components have been used in a way leading to loss of species, degradation of habitats and erosion of genetic diversity, thus jeopardizing present and future livelihoods. Sustainable use of components of biodiversity, one of the three objectives of the Convention, is a key to achieving the broader goal of sustainable development and is a cross-cutting issue relevant to all biological resources. It entails the application of methods and processes in the utilization of biodiversity to maintain its potential to meet current and future human needs and aspirations and to prevent its long-term decline.
    [Show full text]
  • Marine Ecosystem Services
    Marine Ecosystem Services Marine ecosystem services in Nordic marine waters and the Baltic Sea – possibilities for valuation Marine Ecosystem Services Marine ecosystem services in Nordic marine waters and the Baltic Sea – possibilities for valuation Berit Hasler, Heini Ahtiainen, Linus Hasselström, Anna‐Stiina Heiskanen, Åsa Soutukorva and Louise Martinsen TemaNord 2016:501 Marine Ecosystem Services Marine ecosystem services in Nordic marine waters and the Baltic Sea – possibilities for valuation Berit Hasler, Heini Ahtiainen, Linus Hasselström, Anna‐Stiina Heiskanen, Åsa Soutukorva and Louise Martinsen ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4444‐9 (PRINT) ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4445‐6 (PDF) ISBN 978‐92‐893‐4446‐3 (EPUB) http://dx.doi.org/10.6027/TN2016‐501 TemaNord 2016:501 ISSN 0908‐6692 © Nordic Council of Ministers 2016 Layout: Hanne Lebech Cover photo: ImageSelect Print: Rosendahls‐Schultz Grafisk Printed in Denmark This publication has been published with financial support by the Nordic Council of Ministers. However, the contents of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views, policies or recom‐ mendations of the Nordic Council of Ministers. www.norden.org/nordpub Nordic co‐operation Nordic co‐operation is one of the world’s most extensive forms of regional collaboration, involv‐ ing Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland. Nordic co‐operation has firm traditions in politics, the economy, and culture. It plays an im‐ portant role in European and international collaboration, and aims at creating a strong Nordic community in a strong Europe. Nordic co‐operation seeks to safeguard Nordic and regional interests and principles in the global community. Common Nordic values help the region solidify its position as one of the world’s most innovative and competitive.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecosystems and Biodiversity
    Unit 2: Ecosystem An organism is always in the state of perfect balance with the environment. The environment literally means the surroundings. The environment refers to the things and conditions around the organisms which directly or indirectly influence the life and development of the organisms and their populations. “Ecosystem is a complex in which habitat, plants and animals are considered as one interesting unit, the materials and energy of one passing in and out of the others” – Woodbury. Organisms and environment are two non-separable factors. Organisms interact with each other and also with the physical conditions that are present in their habitats. ―The organisms and the physical features of the habitat form an ecological complex or more briefly an ecosystem.‖ (Clarke, 1954). The concept of ecosystem was first put forth by A.G. Tansley (1935). Ecosystem is the major ecological unit. It has both structure and functions. The structure is related to species diversity. The more complex is the structure the greater is the diversity of the species in the ecosystem. The functions of ecosystem are related to the flow of energy and cycling of materials through structural components of the ecosystem. According to Woodbury (1954), ecosystem is a complex in which habitat, plants and animals are considered as one interesting unit, the materials and energy of one passing in and out of the others. According to E.P. Odum, the ecosystem is the basic functional unit of organisms and their environment interacting with each other and with their own components. An ecosystem may be conceived and studied in the habitats of various sizes, e.g., one square metre of grassland, a pool, a large lake, a large tract of forest, balanced aquarium, a certain area of river and ocean.
    [Show full text]
  • Recent History of Large-Scale Ecosystem Disturbances in North America Derived from the AVHRR Satellite Record
    Ecosystems (2005) 8: 808-824 DOI: 10.1007/~10021-005-0041-6 Recent History of Large-Scale Ecosystem Disturbances in North America Derived from the AVHRR Satellite Record Christopher potter,'" Pang-Ning d an,' Vipin ~umar,'Chris ~ucharik,~ Steven ~looster; Vanessa ~enovese,~Warren ohe en,^ and Sean ~eale~~ 'NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California 94035, USA;2~niversity of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415, USA; 3~niversityof Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA; *~aliforniaState University Monterey Bay, Seaside 93955, California, USA; USDA Forest Service, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA Ecosystem structure and function are strongly af- over i9 years, areas potentially influenced by ma- fected by disturbance events, many of which in jor ecosystem disturbances (one FPAR-LO event North America are associated with seasonal tem- over the period 1982-2000) total to more than perature extremes, wildfires, and tropical storms. 766,000 km2.The periods of highest detection fre- This study was conducted to evaluate patterns in a quency were 1987-1989, 1995-1 997, and 1999. 19-year record of global satellite observations of Sub-continental regions of the Pacific Northwest, vegetation phenology from the advanced very high Alaska, and Central Canada had the highest pro- resolution radiometer (AVHRR) as a means to portion (>90%) of FPAR-LO pixels detected in characterize major ecosystem disturbance events forests, tundra shrublands, and wetland areas. The and regimes. The fraction absorbed of photosyn- Great Lakes region showed the highest proportion thetically active radiation (FPAR) by vegetation (39%) of FPAR-LO pixels detected in cropland canopies worldwide has been computed at a areas, whereas the western United States showed monthly time interval from 1982 to 2000 and the highest proportion f 16% ) of FPAR-LO pixels gridded at a spatial resolution of 8-krn globally.
    [Show full text]
  • Fish Glossary (NOAA June 2006)
    NOAAFISHERIES Glossary Revised Edition, June 2006 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION NOAA FISHERIESISHERIES Glossary NOAA TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM NMFS-F/SPO-69 OCTOBER 2005 REVISED EDITION, JUNE 2006 K. Blackhart, D. G. Stanton, and A. M. Shimada Offi ce of Science and Technology National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 An on-line version of this glossary is available at: http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st4/documents/F_Glossary.pdf Cover Photo of Yellowfi n Tuna by William L. High, NMFS This revised and updated edition has a correction to the Bmsy determination of Minimum Stock Size Threshold on page 29. Contents A 1 B 3 C 5 D 9 E 11 F 14 G 19 H 21 I 22 J 24 K 24 L 24 M 26 N 30 O 33 P 35 Q 39 R 39 S 43 T 53 U 57 V 58 W 59 X – Y 60 Z 60 OAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA N Fisheries Service) is dedicated to the stewardship of the Nation’s living marine resources and their habitat. As a leading voice for the economic benefi ts that can be derived from sustainable use and conservation of our Nation’s living marine resources, NOAA scientists and resource managers work to ensure the continued productivity and abundance of these resources and a bright future for the people dependent upon them. To meet these goals and better serve its constituents and the general public, NOAA strives to develop and maintain effective communications and educational resources.
    [Show full text]
  • Ecology Worksheets
    » Ecology Worksheets Principles of Ecology ● Lesson : The Science of Ecology ● Lesson : Flow of Energy ● Lesson : Recycling Matter The Science of Ecology True or False Name___________________ Class_______ Date_____ Write true if the statement is true and false if the statement is false. ______ 1. Ecology is usually considered to be a branch of biology. ______ 2. The environment of an organism includes only nonliving physical factors. ______ 3. The biosphere extends from sea level to about 11,000 meters above sea level. ______ 4. An important ecological issue is the rapid growth of the human population. ______ 5. A community is the biotic component of an ecosystem. ______ 6. An ecosystem is always closed in terms of energy. ______ 7. An ecosystem depends on continuous inputs of matter from outside the system. ______ 8. Organisms that depend on different food sources have different niches. ______ 9. Mammals that live in very cold habitats must have insulation to help them stay warm. ______ 10. Different species cannot occupy the same niche in the same geographic area for very long. ______ 11. Field studies refer to the collection of data in a field, meadow, or other open area. ______ 12. Ecologists use inferential statistics to describe the data they collect. Critical Reading Name___________________ Class_______ Date_____ Read this passage from the lesson and answer the questions that follow. Ecosystem An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all the living organisms in an area functioning together with all the nonliving physical factors of the environment. The concept of an ecosystem can apply to units of different sizes.
    [Show full text]
  • Structural Equation Modelling Reveals That Nutrients and Physicochemistry Act Additively on the Dynamics of a Microcosm-Based Biotic Community
    biology Article Structural Equation Modelling Reveals That Nutrients and Physicochemistry Act Additively on the Dynamics of a Microcosm-Based Biotic Community 1, , 1 2 1, David A. Russo * y , Andrew Ferguson , Andrew P. Beckerman and Jagroop Pandhal * 1 Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK; andrew.ferguson@sheffield.ac.uk 2 Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK; a.beckerman@sheffield.ac.uk * Correspondence: [email protected] (D.A.R.); j.pandhal@sheffield.ac.uk (J.P.) Current address: Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Bioorganic Analytics, y Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany. Received: 23 August 2019; Accepted: 8 November 2019; Published: 14 November 2019 Abstract: Anthropogenic eutrophication has caused widespread environmental problems in freshwater lakes, reducing biodiversity and disrupting the classic pelagic food chain. Increasing our understanding of the exact role of nutrients and physicochemical variables on microbial dynamics, and subsequent microalgal and cyanobacterial blooms, has involved numerous studies ranging from replicate microcosm-based studies through to temporal studies of real lake data. In a previous experimental microcosm study, we utilised metaproteomics to investigate the functional changes of a microalgal-bacterial community under oligotrophic and eutrophic nutrient levels. Here, we analyse the time series data from this experiment with a combination of typically used univariate analyses and a more modern multivariate approach, structural equation modelling. Our aim was to test, using these modern methods, whether physicochemical variables and nutrient dynamics acted additively, synergistically, or antagonistically on the specific biotic community used in the microcosms.
    [Show full text]
  • Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies: Environmental Studies Deals with Every Issue Thataffects an Organism
    1 Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies: Environmental studies deals with every issue thataffects an organism. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human impacts on its integrity. It is an applied science as its seeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on the earth’s finite resources. Its components include biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology, health, anthropology, economics, statistics, computers and philosophy. `The industrial development and intensive agriculture that provides the goods for our increasingly consumer oriented society uses up large amounts of natural resources such as water, minerals, petroleum products, wood, etc. Nonrenewable resources, such as minerals and oil are those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for subsequent generations. Renewable resources, such as timber and water, are those which can be used but can be regenerated by natural processes such as re-growth or rainfall. But these too will be depleted if we continue to use them faster than nature can replace them. For example, if the removal of timber and firewood from a forest is faster than the re-growth and regeneration of trees, it cannot replenish the supply. And loss of forest covers not only depletes the forest of its resources, such as timber and other non-wood products, but affects our water resources because an intact natural forest acts like a sponge which holds water and releases it slowly. Deforestation leads to floods in the monsoon and dry rivers once the rains are over.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment Pollution
    Assign Print Assessment Print with Answers Assessment Pollution INSTRUCTIONS Check your understanding with this practice assessment. 1) Which of the following activities would be least harmful to an ocean environment? o A) A fisherman catching food for his family. o B) Oil is spilled into the water from a tanker ship. o C) Coral reef is removed and sold as souvenirs. o D) Trash is washed from beaches into the water. o Explanation:The answer is A. As long as enough fish are left to reproduce this resource is renewable and removing some would not affect the ocean environment. 2) What does it mean to reuse? o A) use something again o B) use less of something o C) save electricity o D) conserve water o Explanation:The correct answer is A. It is correct because by reusing items it cuts down on excess waste. 3) Which of the following might be a biotic factor in a stream ecosystem? o A) rocks o B) water o C) sunlight o D) pollution o Explanation:The correct answer is D. It is correct because human waste, which is a biotic factor, can cause pollution. 4) Humans have changed the Earth in ways that hurt themselves and other organisms by ________. o A) hunting o B) recycling o C) gardening o D) polluting the air, water, and land o Explanation:The correct answer is D. Human industrialization has polluted air, water, and land. 5) Energy conservation will result in ______. o A) more air pollution. o B) fewer available sources of energy. o C) more acid rain.
    [Show full text]
  • BASIC BIOLOGY REPORT “Knowing the Ecosystem” by : Name
    BASIC BIOLOGY REPORT “Knowing The Ecosystem” By : Name : Hesti Apriwiyani NIM : 140210101107 Group : 4 STUDY PROGRAM OF MATHEMATIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATIC AND SCIENCE FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF JEMBER 2015 I. TITLE Knowing The Ecosystem II. PURPOSE Knowing the components of the ecosystem and its position in the ecosystem. III. BASIC TEORY The branch of biology that developed from natural history is called ecology. Ecology is the study of inter actions that take place between organisms and their environment (national geographic, 2004: 36). Mangrove ecosystem has ecological and economic function is very useful. Ecologically, mangrove ecosystem serves as spawning (spawning grounds) and the enlargement area (nursery grounds) various marine organisms such as fish, shrimp, scallops and others. In addition mangrove litter (in the form of leaves and twigs) that fell in the waters after the decomposition process will be a source of feed in the aquatic environment. Nontji (1993) states that the mangrove ecosystem as well, a habitat for berbaga species of birds, reptiles, mammals and type of organic melainnya, so that mangrove forests provide biological diversity (biodiversity) and germplasm of high and serves as a life support system( Wantasen, Adnan S, 2013 : 205). An ecosystem is a system in nature that it occur in the interrelationship between organisms with other organism, as well as environmental conditions (biology lecturer team, 2014: 26). The word ecosystem proposed by A.G. Tansley in 1935, and consists of two words and the eco system. The word eco show environment, and said the system shows a complex system of coordination units.
    [Show full text]