Station 4: Animal Tracks

Class Discussion:

What are some animals that can be found in our wetlands?

This is a long list! Various birds, fish, snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, salamanders, deer, coyote, opossum, fox, bobcat, rabbit, turtles, mice, insects, etc.

** No crocodiles, alligators, or bears live in our wetlands.

In your own words, define biodiversity.

Biodiversity can be defined as the variety of living things in an environment or habitat

"Bio" = life ; "diversity" = variety or a range of different things

Environments that have a high Biodiversity are considered stronger than environments that have a low Biodiversity. Why might this be?

When an environment is confronted with a change (ex. loss of a certain species, a natural disaster), environments that have a high biodiversity are less likely to be affected in a drastic way since there are more species to handle the change

Demonstration: Biodiversity and Food Webs

Materials: Food Web Examples (https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/16ZvPazCMFBvL2CXjX5CXXw5NRiYZX5mpU5c0nstcaig/edit?usp=sharing )

• Pick 3 students to represent the three different environments on worksheets; give each student one of the worksheets and ask them to hold the page so the class can see
• Each of these worksheets show an example food web from three places in Athens: Lake Lanier, the Jefferson Wetlands, and an urban forest in Athens
  • (These food webs are only examples-- many more connections could potentially be made!)
• Which ecosystem has the highest biodiversity, or is the most biodiverse?
  • In this example, the JCS Wetlands are the most biodiverse since the food web contains the largest species diversity (the most different species)
• Have students discuss what would happen if half of the vegetation in each environment was removed-- possibly land was cleared for building projects or an invasive plant outcompeted this native vegetation (but can not be eaten by native species)
• Cover each branch of the food web that would be affected if vegetation was destroyed, either with a marker slash or with hands
  • Continue up the food trees beyond the herbivores to demonstrate how most species would be affected
• Which food web is least affected by this event?
  • The JCS Wetlands is least affected because there is a higher biodiversity in this example ecosystem. Herbivores may be able to find other plants to eat, and carnivores can vary their prey.

• Introduce the activity by explaining that students will hear two different accounts or views of life in South Georgia from two people who have lived near Okefenokee Swamp
  • Students may take notes or be given time to reflect on the differences and themes highlighted in a writing assignment
• First, students will read aloud a quote from Janisse Ray's Ecology of a Cracker Childhood (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kYPYu1wWHPUMpJ-sCQssatU4XBnNUWHCiHDfXfd_wWU/edit?usp=sharing)
  • Janisse Ray is a Georgia author and naturalist, who writes eco-poetry and environmental nonfiction
• Second, students will listen to a radio show Wiregrass Ways: Sounds of South Georgia interview with Bobby Johns (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pGSFjkR2GvAvXg3eqEB_KG_W1eUKR3pG/view?usp=sharing)
  • Mikko Bobby "Bearheart" Johns was Chief of the Perdido Bay Tribe and is a descendant of the Native American Creek Tribe that hails from South Georgia
  • The Okefenokee swamp acted as a refuge for Native Americans during removal periods--Native Americans found protection in the swamp, and were able to hide and stay in South Georgia by hiding their heritage and intermarrying European settlers