Introduction to Unit B.1
Welcome to the Biology Unit B.1 focused on Ecosystem Interactions & Dynamics. This unit explores how ecosystems work and how understanding them can help us protect them, anchored by the 30 by 30 Initiative aiming to conserve 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. The Serengeti ecosystem is used as a case study to delve into these topics.
Source materials
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Standards Alignment
This unit aligns with several Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) performance expectations:
- HS-LS2-1: Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.
- HS-LS2-2: Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
- HS-LS2-6: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
- HS-LS2-7: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
- HS-LS2-8: Evaluate the evidence for the role of group behavior on individual and species’ chances to survive and reproduce.
- HS-ESS3-3: Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships coamong management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.
Assessment
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Key Concepts and Essential Questions
Key Concepts
- Ecosystem dynamics and interactions
- Carrying capacity and limiting factors
- Biodiversity and ecosystem resilience
- Human impact on ecosystems
- Conservation strategies
Essential Questions
- How do ecosystems work?
- What factors affect the carrying capacity of ecosystems?
- How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem stability and resilience?
- How do human activities impact ecosystems?
- What strategies can be used to protect ecosystems?
Common ideas
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Unit Map
The unit is structured into three lesson sets:
Lesson Set 1: Populations and Interactions within Ecosystems
Lessons 1-6 focus on understanding the factors that affect populations within an ecosystem, using the Serengeti as a case study.
- Lesson 1: Introduction to the 30 by 30 Initiative and initial exploration of conservation criteria.
- Lesson 2: Investigation of the Serengeti National Park’s creation and its unique ecosystem.
- Lesson 3: Analysis of wildebeest migration patterns and the role of food as a limiting factor.
- Lesson 4: Further investigation into the factors driving wildebeest migration, focusing on rainfall and food availability.
- Lesson 5: Examination of how food availability affects the population size of wildebeest.
- Lesson 6: Application of the concepts of limiting factors and carrying capacity to the reintroduction of African wild dogs in Malawi.
Lesson Set 2: Complexity of Ecosystems
Lessons 7-8 delve into the complexity of ecosystems, exploring the importance of keystone species and the role of biodiversity.
- Lesson 7: Exploration of predator-prey interactions in the Serengeti, focusing on group behaviors.
- Lesson 8: Investigation of other components in the Serengeti ecosystem and their interactions, emphasizing biodiversity and resilience.
Lesson Set 3: Applying Ecosystem Understanding to Conservation
Lessons 9-11 apply the understanding of ecosystems to evaluate and develop conservation strategies, culminating in a transfer task focused on the American Prairie Preserve.
- Lesson 9: Evaluation of human interactions with the Serengeti ecosystem and the potential impact of building a road through the park.
- Lesson 10: Assessment of the success of conservation efforts based on the criteria and goals established earlier in the unit.
- Lesson 11: Application of the learned concepts to expand conservation efforts to new lands and waters, focusing on the American Prairie Preserve.
Pacing
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