Maintaining Biodiveristy Teacher Notes VCE Enviro Science Unit 3: How can biodiversity and development be sustained? Area of Study 1: Is maintaining biodiversity worth a sustained effort? Introduction These notes provide information for teachers who are planning a visit to Werribee Open Range Zoo for VCE Year 12 Environmental Science students. Maintaining Biodiversity provides students with the opportunity to explore the importance of biodiversity within an ecosystem and the measurement tools used in conservation science and ecosystem assessments. Within these notes is information regarding: Pre-excursion reading and videos Data collection on the day Putting it all together back at school Aim The aim of this program is for students to: Understand and define the categories of biodiversity Explore the importance of genetic diversity within a species or population in withstanding changes in environmental selection pressures that will either confer an advantage (adaptation) or disadvantage for a particular genetic trait Discuss the impact of humans on the present rate of species extinction Discover sampling methods used for assessing species diversity Discuss the conservation classification of species and how this depends on measures including changes in the geographic range, numbers of individuals on that range, the date the species was last recorded and the extent of habitat Understand human threats to biodiversity such as habitat modification, inbreeding, small population sizes Explore strategies for maintaining and growing populations that also build species resilience to changes in the environment Discuss ethical principles for managing biodiversity Pre excursion readings and videos Reading https://www.zoo.org.au/media/3067/eastern-barred-bandicoots.pdf Video Colossus the Koala - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0BvgjkjfRc Zoos Victoria Fighting Extinction story - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPrUvuKJs6E&t=4s Eastern Barred Bandicoots - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GH57_Ei13M Data collection at the Zoo Defining Biodiversity 1. How would you define biodiversity and why is it essential? 2. How does Zoos Victoria help to maintain biodiversity? Spend some time observing an animal in the Australian Trail zoo habitat. 3. In the table below, provide at least one example for the following: Animal: ___Koala___________________ Why is genetic diversity What are the selected traits that What are the human threats to important? are advantageous or the species? disadvantageous for the survival of this animal? Builds opportunity for the Advantage: living in trees- Road accidents species to be disease avoid predators Habitat loss causing resistant Disadvantage: Eating only isolation Health and viability of certain species of Introduced species offspring eucalyptus (including dog attacks) Natural selection- Climate Change - provides opportunity for bushfires etc. stronger traits to be selected for Success in breeding and recovery 4. While humans can cause many threats to biodiversity, we can also make significant contributions to preserving wildlife and the environment. Can you suggest some ways we can make a positive difference? Raise awareness in the community Fundraise Take part in community conservation campaigns such as Safe Cats, Safe Wildlife Page 2 of 6 5. Describe how the three categories of biodiversity within the grassland ecosystem have been impacted by human threats? Genetic variation Species variation Ecosystem variation -Less individuals (flora and fauna) for -Natives outcompeted by -Loss of native species Human breeding weeds due to loss of -Introduced species genetics/habitat Cats/Foxes- caused decline in native wildlife 6. List some human threats to biodiversity in the grasslands of Victoria: Habitat loss due to urban development Reduced fire regimes The use of fertilizer Introduced predators Competition with weed/introduced species Page 3 of 6 Data collection sites in the Australian Trail at Werribee Open Range Zoo Page 4 of 6 Assessing the biodiversity of the grassland ecosystem Aim: Conduct a quadrat survey to assess the biodiversity of the Australian Trail Zoo Habitat to determine if the ecological Aim: Conduct a quadrat survey to assess the biodiversity of the Australian Trail Zoo Habitat to determine if the ecological requirements for the Eastern Barred Bandicoots are currently in place. 1. Each school participating in this program will collect field data. Quadrats are set at particular sites indicated on the map and will be allocated to ensure an even distribution of data. Your data and the accumulated data collected by other schools using EpiCollect is available to view online. The factors below are considered important ecological requirements for Bandicoot interaction with a site. These factors will be measured in 1m2 quadrats adjacent to the trapping sites to determine the characteristics of sites that the Bandicoots need for its survival. Quadrat number: Quadrat number: Air Temperature Air Temperature (oC) (oC) Percentage Plant cover <15cm Percentage Plant cover <15cm % % Percentage Plant cover > 15cm Percentage Plant cover > 15cm % % Woody debris cover (eg. branches, bark, etc.) Woody debris co ver(eg. branches, bark, etc) % % Plant litter cover (eg. dead leaves, stems, Plant litter cover (eg. dead leaves, stems, flowers) % flowers) % Artificial cover (cement, bricks, fence palings) Artificial cover (cement, bricks, fence palings) % % Bare ground cover (including rocks) % Bare ground cover % Distance to the nearest cover that would Distance to the nearest cover that would conceal an EBB , ie clusters of plants >15cm m conceal an EBB , ie clusters of plants >15cm m in height in height Number of species of plants Number of species of plants Number of surface invertebrates Number of surface invertebrates Number of different type/ species of Number of different type/species of invertebrates invertebrates Rabbit abundance (circle) 0 1 2 3 Rabbit abundance (circle) 0 1 2 3 Not Recent activity Not Recent activity present (fresh scats &diggings) present (fresh scats & diggings) Soil moisture content (circle) Dry Moist Wet Soil moisture content (circle) Dry Moist Wet Page 5 of 6 Post-excursion Questions Below are some suggested questions you may use back at school to consolidate your students’ learning after their excursion. 1. Refer to the quadrat data your class and other schools collected. Identify which sites within the Australian Trail have the highest levels of biodiversity. What evidence do you have that supports this? Access 2018/19 collated school data here: Access 2020 collated school data here: 2. Eastern Barred Bandicoots forage for a range of food sources including beetles, crickets, earthworms and plant material such as berries, tubers and bulbs. Suggest how the Eastern Barred Bandicoots’ foraging activity could benefit the biodiversity within the Grassland ecosystem. Recall our class discussion of Eastern Barred Bandicoots as environmental engineers. 3. After your data collection: a) What are your thoughts on species diversity in the Australian Trail Zoo Habitat (i.e. number of native grasses vs. weeds, number of insects present etc.)? Refer to your recorded quadrat data b) Do you think the biodiversity of the grassland would allow Eastern Barred Bandicoots to live there (consider drought, fire, predators)? 4. Name one way Zoos Victoria have increased the resilience of Eastern Barred Bandicoots to changes in the environment. Recall our class discussion around Rachel Taylor’s PHD research around predator aversion. 5. Discuss the ethical considerations when introducing a species, such as the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, into an area outside of their historical range? Eastern Barred Bandicoot’s are being released into predator-proof sites such as the Woodlands site in Tullamarine and island sites on Churchill Island, Phillip Island and French Island, where they were not found previously. Page 6 of 6 .