Unit 11
UNIT 11: ECOLOGY AND HUMAN IMPACT
UNIT 11: ECOLOGY AND HUMAN IMPACT
THE FINAL UNIT IN BIOLOGY HAS COME UP FAST! IN THIS UNIT WE WILL STUDY HOW ORGANISMS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT STRUCTURAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND REPRODUCTIVE ADAPTATIONS SPECIFIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS HAVE ACQUIRED TO BETTER ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT. WE WILL CONCLUDE THE UNIT AND THE SEMESTER WITH A FOCUS ON HOW HUMANS IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE NUTRIENT AND WATER CYCLES.
THE FINAL UNIT IN BIOLOGY HAS COME UP FAST! IN THIS UNIT WE WILL STUDY HOW ORGANISMS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT, AND WHAT STRUCTURAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND REPRODUCTIVE ADAPTATIONS SPECIFIC ANIMALS AND PLANTS HAVE ACQUIRED TO BETTER ADAPT TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT. WE WILL CONCLUDE THE UNIT AND THE SEMESTER WITH A FOCUS ON HOW HUMANS IMPACT THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE NUTRIENT AND WATER CYCLES.
North Carolina Essential Standards
North Carolina Essential Standards
Bio.2.1 Analyze the interdependence of living organisms within their environments.
Bio.2.1 Analyze the interdependence of living organisms within their environments.
Bio.2.1.1 Analyze the flow of energy and cycling of matter (such as water, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen) through ecosystems relating the significance of each to maintaining the health and sustainability of an ecosystem.
Bio.2.1.1 Analyze the flow of energy and cycling of matter (such as water, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen) through ecosystems relating the significance of each to maintaining the health and sustainability of an ecosystem.
• Deconstruct the carbon cycle as it relates to photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition and climate change.
• Deconstruct the carbon cycle as it relates to photosynthesis, cellular respiration, decomposition and climate change.
• Summarize the nitrogen cycle (including the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria) and its importance to synthesis of proteins and DNA.
• Summarize the nitrogen cycle (including the role of nitrogen fixing bacteria) and its importance to synthesis of proteins and DNA.
• Identify factors that influence climate such as:
• Identify factors that influence climate such as:
greenhouse effect (relate to carbon cycle and human impact on atmospheric CO2)
greenhouse effect (relate to carbon cycle and human impact on atmospheric CO2)
natural environmental processes (relate to volcanic eruption and other geological processes)
natural environmental processes (relate to volcanic eruption and other geological processes)
• Explain the recycling of matter within ecosystems and the tendency toward a more disorganized state.
• Explain the recycling of matter within ecosystems and the tendency toward a more disorganized state.
• Analyze energy pyramids for direction and efficiency of energy transfer.
• Analyze energy pyramids for direction and efficiency of energy transfer.
Living systems require a continuous input of energy to maintain organization. The input of radiant energy which is converted to chemical energy allows organisms to carry out life processes.
Living systems require a continuous input of energy to maintain organization. The input of radiant energy which is converted to chemical energy allows organisms to carry out life processes.
Within ecosystems energy flows from the radiant energy of the sun through producers and consumers as chemical energy that is ultimately transformed into heat energy. Continual refueling of radiant energy is required by ecosystems.
Within ecosystems energy flows from the radiant energy of the sun through producers and consumers as chemical energy that is ultimately transformed into heat energy. Continual refueling of radiant energy is required by ecosystems.
Bio.2.1.2 Analyze the survival and reproductive success of organisms in terms of behavioral, structural, and reproductive adaptations.
Bio.2.1.2 Analyze the survival and reproductive success of organisms in terms of behavioral, structural, and reproductive adaptations.
• Analyze how various organisms accomplish the following life functions through adaptations within particular environments (example: water or land) and that these adaptations have evolved to ensure survival and reproductive success.
• Analyze how various organisms accomplish the following life functions through adaptations within particular environments (example: water or land) and that these adaptations have evolved to ensure survival and reproductive success.
Transport and Excretion – how different organisms get what they need to cells; how they move waste from cells to organs of excretion. Focus is on maintaining balance in pH, salt, and water. Include plants - vascular and nonvascular.
Transport and Excretion – how different organisms get what they need to cells; how they move waste from cells to organs of excretion. Focus is on maintaining balance in pH, salt, and water. Include plants - vascular and nonvascular.
Respiration – how different organisms take in and release gases (carbon dioxide or oxygen, water vapor); cellular respiration
Respiration – how different organisms take in and release gases (carbon dioxide or oxygen, water vapor); cellular respiration
Nutrition – feeding adaptations and how organisms get nutrition (autotrophic and heterotrophic) and how they break down and absorb foods.
Nutrition – feeding adaptations and how organisms get nutrition (autotrophic and heterotrophic) and how they break down and absorb foods.
Reproduction, Growth and Development – sexual versus asexual, eggs, seeds, spores, placental, types of fertilization.
Reproduction, Growth and Development – sexual versus asexual, eggs, seeds, spores, placental, types of fertilization.
• Analyze behavioral adaptations that help accomplish basic life functions such as suckling, taxes/taxis, migration, estivation, and hibernation, habituation, imprinting, classical conditioning (e.g. Pavlov’s dog–stimulus association), and trial and error learning.
• Analyze behavioral adaptations that help accomplish basic life functions such as suckling, taxes/taxis, migration, estivation, and hibernation, habituation, imprinting, classical conditioning (e.g. Pavlov’s dog–stimulus association), and trial and error learning.
Bio 2.1.3 Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems.
Bio 2.1.3 Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems.
• Identify and describe symbiotic relationships such as mutualism and parasitism. (middle school review)
• Identify and describe symbiotic relationships such as mutualism and parasitism. (middle school review)
• Exemplify various forms of communication and territorial defense including communication within social structure using pheromones (Examples: bees, ants, termites), courtship dances, territorial defense (Example: fighting fish).
• Exemplify various forms of communication and territorial defense including communication within social structure using pheromones (Examples: bees, ants, termites), courtship dances, territorial defense (Example: fighting fish).
• Explain patterns in predator /prey and competition relationships and how these patterns help maintain stability within an ecosystem with a focus on population dynamics.
• Explain patterns in predator /prey and competition relationships and how these patterns help maintain stability within an ecosystem with a focus on population dynamics.
Bio.2.1.4 Explain why ecosystems can be relatively stable over hundreds or thousands of years, even though populations may fluctuate (emphasizing availability of food, availability of shelter, number of predators and disease).
Bio.2.1.4 Explain why ecosystems can be relatively stable over hundreds or thousands of years, even though populations may fluctuate (emphasizing availability of food, availability of shelter, number of predators and disease).
• Generalizing that although some populations have the capacity for exponential growth, there are limited resources that create specific carrying capacities and population sizes are in a dynamic equilibrium with these factors. (e.g. food availability, climate, water, territory).
• Generalizing that although some populations have the capacity for exponential growth, there are limited resources that create specific carrying capacities and population sizes are in a dynamic equilibrium with these factors. (e.g. food availability, climate, water, territory).
• Interpret various types of population graphs – human population growth graphs indicating historical and potential changes, factors influencing birth rates and death rates, and effects of population size, density and resource use on the environment.
• Interpret various types of population graphs – human population growth graphs indicating historical and potential changes, factors influencing birth rates and death rates, and effects of population size, density and resource use on the environment.
• Explain how disease can disrupt ecosystem balance. (Examples: AIDS, influenza, tuberculosis, Dutch Elm Disease, Pfiesteria, etc.)
• Explain how disease can disrupt ecosystem balance. (Examples: AIDS, influenza, tuberculosis, Dutch Elm Disease, Pfiesteria, etc.)
Bio.2.2 Understand the impact of human activities on the environment (one generation affects the next).
Bio.2.2 Understand the impact of human activities on the environment (one generation affects the next).
Bio.2.2.1 Infer how human activities (including population growth, pollution, global warming, burning of fossil fuels, habitat destruction and introduction of nonnative species) may impact the environment.
Bio.2.2.1 Infer how human activities (including population growth, pollution, global warming, burning of fossil fuels, habitat destruction and introduction of nonnative species) may impact the environment.
• Summarize how humans modify ecosystems through population growth, technology, consumption of resources and production of waste.
• Summarize how humans modify ecosystems through population growth, technology, consumption of resources and production of waste.
• Interpret data regarding the historical and predicted impact on ecosystems and global climate.
• Interpret data regarding the historical and predicted impact on ecosystems and global climate.
• Explain factors that impact North Carolina ecosystems. (Examples: acid rain effects in mountains, beach erosion, urban development in the Piedmont leading to habitat destruction and water runoff, waste lagoons on hog farms, Kudzu as an invasive plant, etc.).
• Explain factors that impact North Carolina ecosystems. (Examples: acid rain effects in mountains, beach erosion, urban development in the Piedmont leading to habitat destruction and water runoff, waste lagoons on hog farms, Kudzu as an invasive plant, etc.).
Bio.2.2.2 Explain how the use, protection and conservation of natural resources by humans impact the environment from one generation to the next.
Bio.2.2.2 Explain how the use, protection and conservation of natural resources by humans impact the environment from one generation to the next.
• Explain the impact of humans on natural resources (e.g. resource depletion, deforestation, pesticide use and bioaccumulation )
• Explain the impact of humans on natural resources (e.g. resource depletion, deforestation, pesticide use and bioaccumulation )
• Exemplify conservation methods and stewardship.
• Exemplify conservation methods and stewardship.
Tuesday, May 15 - Food Webs and Energy Pyramids
Tuesday, May 15 - Food Webs and Energy Pyramids
Thursday, May 17 - Animal Behavior
Thursday, May 17 - Animal Behavior
Wednesday, December 13 - Human Impact
Wednesday, December 13 - Human Impact
Image of coral reef taken from: https://www.kcet.org/shows/earth-focus/episodes/biodiversity-and-health.