Unit 10: Ecology of Communities and Ecosystems.

"In spite of the truly marvellous inventiveness of the human brain, we are beginning to wonder whether our power to change the face of nature should not have been tempered with wisdom for our own good, and with a greater sense of responsibility for the welfare of generations to come." - Rachel Carson, ecologist and author of Silent Spring.

Objective 2:

Competition
Niches (2c)

Objective 4:

Coevolution (4a)
More on coevolution (4a)
Coevolution and pollination ^(optional)
Sedentary snakes and gullible geckos: predator-prey coevolution. ^(optional)
Snakes slither back to the top ^(optional)

Objective 6:

Introduced species:
Introduced Species (EPA) ^(skim)
Introduced Species: the Threat to Biodiversity & What Can Be Done, by Daniel Simberloff ^(skim)
Local introduced species: purple loosestrife, zebra mussels, sea lamprey, chestnut blight, Dutch elm disease, brown-headed cowbird, European starling ^(examples)
Impacts of Introduced Species in the United States ^(optional)
Invasive Species in the Great Lakes Region ^(optional)
Invasive Plant Council of New York State^(optional)

Objective 7:

Trends in ecological succession (7c)
Climax communities
Models of succession

Objective 11:

The Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study^(optional)

Objective 13:

Soil (13a)
Acid rain (13b):
What is acid rain and what causes it?
Acid rain still endangers Adirondacks.^{(skim this)}
2001 Acid Rain Data - note low readings in NY State.
Salinization (13d)

Objective 18:

More on the ozone (18d) ^(optional)

Field Trip Objectives:

Field trip slideshow

Optional Supplementary Material:

Global dimming - Is air pollution masking the effects of global warming?
Who Killed the Elephants?
Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) teams explore and catalog Earth's biodiversity hot spots before they disappear.