Ecosystem Architects

This trail can be found on Isla San Cristobal, leading you from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno to Las Tijeritas. A major understanding we have learned by now is that larger "islands" provide more habitat diversity, which supports more species diversity and larger population sizes that increases genetic diversity. Our IMPACT (loss of biodiversity) is a proportional measure of POPULATION, AFFLUENCE and TECHNOLOGY (DEVELOPMENT), and this is caused by HIPPCO. We can, however, restore ecosystems to restore biodiversity and the services they provide.

Is it possible for humans and wildlife to live equitably and in harmony with each other?

Previous: Endangered Species

Design an ecosystem restoration project to improve habitat and biodiversity in the Dragonfly watershed.

Ecosystem Architects

Task: You will investigate and understand that relationships exist between ecosystem dynamics and human activity. Key ideas include:

a. changes in habitat can disturb populations;

b. disruptions in ecosystems can change species competition;

c. variations in biotic and abiotic factors can change ecosystems (an ecosystem is healthy if it is diverse over the range of communities that lie within the area)

d. management of wildlife areas must consider species diversity because improving habitat for one species may have negative consequences for another

You will select the environment in the Dragonfly Watershed of your choice—between Deer Island and the Laughing Gullville Shopping Area— to restore. You will use the existing abiotic conditions to plan how to improve habitat and increase species diversity.

Background Info

It is first important to distinguish between a community and ecosystem. A community is all of the organisms that inhabit a particular area-- populations of different species living close enough to each other to interact. An ecosystem is the natural unit that include the organisms, their physical environment, and their exchange of energy and nutrients. An ecosystem also has many small or "micro" communities within it.

For communities to thrive, it is important to look at the needs of the organisms within their physical environment. Even in an urban setting, plants and animals can flourish if they are adapted to its unique conditions or if their needs can be met by improving the habitat.

The folks in Laughing Gullville have presented several environmental complaints to the Gullville Community Board recently. Two stand out in particular— Deer Island and the C.C. Laughing Gullville (abandoned area).

A 1,000-year flood has destroyed the plants and animals on Deer Island. Before the flood, the island was overgrown with a mixture of native and non-native plants and was inhabited by a variety of native and non-native wildlife. The community wants to restore a low-maintenance, native habitat on the island.

An abandoned shopping area is being torn down to make room for a new park. The area is currently 20 acres of asphalt and concrete that has been neglected for more than ten years. Community members said that whatever the site is used for, the ecosystem that is established on the site must be healthy and sustainable.

Select the environment of your choice to develop a restoration plan

Deer Island

The Abandoned Laughing Gullville Centro Comercial

Assessment Criteria

This summative will be assessed under the following benchmarks

EIN (Humans alter natural systems at an increasing rate and impact)— all rubric sections

SEP2 Developing and Using Models

SEP8 Obtaining and Communicating Information

Each step submission of the summative project are weighted differently, as is seen below.

Step 1— Topography

Color water sources in blue, moist soils in green, and dry soils in brown on your scenario page. Knowledge of these abiotic conditions matter for species needs. By the end of the project, you will write a list of which species may be found in each of these three habitats. In the Abandoned Area, you must add one hill and one source of water (stream or pond).

Example of the product

Step 2— Plants & Animals

Using the following chart, decide which plants would be most suitable for the site considering the plant’s requirements for space, soil, sunlight and water. Add more rows to the chart as needed to cover all species you want/need to obtain information for.

Consider two plants that have the same requirements. How will competition between them be handled?

Would some plant communities be better at supporting some animals over others?

Using the following chart, decide which animals would be best suited for the site when considering the animal’s requirements for space, food, shelter, and water

Consider two animals that have the same requirements. How can this competition be avoided or managed?

What other organisms (e.g. fungi, bacteria, bees, etc.) besides the listed plants and animals should be considered when developing the site? Why ecosystem services do these types of organisms provide that you should consider them?

Step 3— Interactions

Step 4— Mitigating effects

The main objective of task 4 is to address environmental concerns the community of Laughing Gullville has with each ecosystem. At Deer Island, the challenge is to prevent, eradicate and control invasive species using minimal chemicals. In the newly restored Abandoned Area, the challenge is to reduce the impact the urban environment will have on the wildlife being established.

A complete strategy or method will indicate the following:

targeted species
a specific named strategy (simply stating physical method, for example, is not specific)
brief description how and why the strategy will be used

Complete this in the document provided to you.

Deer Island

The city wants to restore a low-maintenance, native habitat on the island. Refer to the material about invasive species as a guide.

To achieve a '4', your restoration plan must use a combination of physical, chemical and biological control methods for the non-native species, with the expressed intent of reducing introducing chemicals as much as possible. At the same time, carefully research the plant-animal interactions that could be made to allow for a greater variety of native species and reduce suitable habitat for non-native species.

In a specific strategy, classify the method first as (biological or chemical or mechanical/physical) and then classify the strategy as (prevention and/or eradication and/or control). Monitoring of the invasive species is implied in the task, and is not an eligible strategy/method for this task.

Laughing Gullville

Community members said that whatever the site is used for, the ecosystem that is established on the site must be healthy and sustainable. Creating wildlife habitat* in urban areas generates environmental problems such as wildlife consuming solid waste, crossing roadways, attacking humans and pets, and the spread of disease. Don't forget the impact light pollution has on species behavior.

To achieve a '4', your restoration plan must address how to reduce or eliminate these problems and establish harmony between society and urban wildlife. Solutions for this restoration plan cannot include eradication, trapping, relocation, etc.; the point of the design is to increase biodiversity.

Step 5— Proposal Letter

Write a one to two page letter proposing and persuading your restoration plan to the Laughing Gullville Community (LGC) Board. When approaching this task, K.I.S.S. but provide specific examples instead of writing in generalities. Provide ONE example per paragraph. The five components of this letter include—

Introduces the existing environment and the importance of its restoration to the LGC
Explains excessive predation and competition will be mitigated in the ecological community
Explains regulating services that will be improved as a result of your plan, of particular species
Explains cultural services that will be improved as a result of your plan
Summarizes with a compelling, persuasive statement about what you have learned through planning this restoration project

Include each of the five points in one paragraph with sufficient detail and you can achieve a '4' for this task.

HIPPCO (FRQ)

The main drivers of biodiversity loss are HIPPCO— Habitat loss, Invasive species, human Population growth, Pollution, Climate change, and Overexploitation of resources.

At Deer Island, you are addressing issues related to Invasive species. In Laughing Gullville, you are addressing issues related to anthropogenic sources of Pollution and the human Popoulation. At both sites you are addressing Habitat fragmentation and loss.

The final submission in this summative will be an FRQ associated with these drivers of biodiversity loss.