Ecosystem Service Intro

Ecosystem Service Introduction

Overall Introduction Objectives:

Students will:

• understand the value of estuarine ecosystems

• provide students opportunities to participate in hands-on ecosystem service related research and science

• provide students opportunities to take part in civic-minded lessons

Overall Estimated Time:

• Prep Exercise (below) (Time: 30-45 minutes depending on current knowledge of your students)

• Activity 1: How Much is an Ecosystem Worth? (Time: 30-40 minutes)

• Activity 2: Research Ecosystem Services (Time: one-two 40-60 minute periods to prepare, and one 40-60 minute period to present)

Overall Vocabulary:

• Abiotic - physical rather than biological; not derived from living organisms 

• Biotic - of, relating to, or resulting from living things 

• Carbon Sequestration - a natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form

• Ecosystem

• Ecosystem Services - benefits humans and other living things get from ecosystems

• Estuary

• Nutrients

• Nutrient Cycling - is the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter

• Watershed

Overall Principles/Standards:

Ocean Literacy Principle #3

Ocean Literacy Principle #4

Ocean Literacy Principle #5

Ocean Literacy Principle #6

Guiding Questions for this section:

1. What is an ecosystem service?

2. What ecosystem services are provided by estuaries?

3. How are ecosystem services impacted by humans?

4. What are the possible effects of climate change on ecosystem services?

5. How are ecosystem services being researched and studied within the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS)?

Prep Exercise

Before beginning this unit, students should be able to: 

• Explain what an estuary is

• Explain what an ecosystem is

• Explain possible impacts to estuarine ecosystems in light of climate change and sea level rise

Introducing your students to estuaries

Step 1) Have your students watch the 5:17 minute YouTube video from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency What's An Estuary?

Step 2) You may also have your students do one of the following:

1. Have your students listen to a downloadable podcast Diving Deeper Into Estuaries. In this podcast  students will learn about estuaries in a double interview with Sarah McGuire and Bart Merrick from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The discussion highlights why estuaries are important and more information on the Reserve System (16;45 minutes). 

2. Have your students visit (or visit it with them via projection) NOAA's Ocean Service tutorial on Estuaries. This website has in depth information and you could have older students explore the website in class or as homework using the Fill in the Blank or Crossword Puzzle provided as part of the Estuary Subject Review

Introducing your students to an ecosystem

Step 3) To provide a quick introduction on what an ecosystem is, visit What is an Ecosystem?  You may also want to cover the next section Scales of an Ecosystem.