Leftover 2010 Courses 2

Plant Ecology and Environmental Measurement

Plant Ecology Modules

Introduction

Plants are complex. They successfully meet challenges in ways that can hardly be imagined.

The Plant Ecology Modules provide an opportunity to focus on different kinds of plant complexity in the context of the adaptive advantage for survival in particular environments. Overall, the theme involves the various ways that plants encounter the environment. The ability to survive in a particular environment generally determines the distribution range of a plant in the region in which it has become established.

Strategy

Each student will develop a multimedia presentation on two modules. Two students work on each module as a team. To the extent possible, the same pair of students should only work on one module together.

The multimedia presentation must be based on a combination of

• information from books and research papers
• the Internet and
• field observations.

The final presentation must be a self contained unit that can be viewed from the Internet.

Schedule

Week 1: The Plant Ecology Modules will be introduced during the first two days of class. During the week, discuss the modules, choose partners and be prepared to select modules for development. Avoid having more than one team work on any particular module.

Weeks 2-5: Each student will commit to the development of two modules at the start of the second week. The remainder of this week and through the next four weeks, the modules will be developed by reading, holding discussions, and making field observations. Pages on Google Sites will be developed during this period both as a way to store draft information and as a place to develop the final presentation.

Week 6: Groups will present their modules to the entire class during the Monday through Thursday periods.

Modules

The module topics have been chosen in specific reference to both the overall theme of the course (explaining plant distributions) and the opportunities to witness the plant strategies and adaptation at the field sites.

Each student will choose two of the following broad topics. Students will work in pairs in the development of each topic. Different pairs are required for each of the two modules (if possible).

• Getting Around: Good guys vs. bad guys
• Outlandish Adaptations
• Surviving Climate Change
• Life's Necessities (A Plant's Perspective)
• It Takes All Kinds: Plant Lifeforms on Display
• Harsh Realities: Surviving Extreme Conditions
• The Hidden World of Roots (cooperation between individuals and the weird plant associates)
• The Complex Role of Life Histories

Grading & Rubrics

Total points for each Plant Ecology module = 100 maximum

Each student must do 2 Plant Ecology modules = 200 points maximum

(Note: environmental measurements total points = 100 maximum)

• Plant Ecology Module Rubric Link

Benchmarks

Day: Activity, Deadline or Progress Check

02: Plant ecology module exercise introduced & procedures discussed.

02: Google Sites documentation demonstrated & accounts established.

02: Documentation resources demonstrated (on-line documents, UHM library access, main Internet resources).

03: Field observation techniques and opportunities discussed.

05: Demonstration of Google Sites mastery.

08: Selection of two modules and team memberships.

12: First Google Sites checking.

Plant Ecology Module Rubric

Each student is responsible for developing two Plant Ecology modules. The rubric below applies to each module.

Students earn a maximum of 100 points for each Plant Ecology module.