This 9-minute video lesson discusses what a species is and isn't. It considers ligers, tiglons, mule, hinnies, and dogs. [Biology playlist: Lesson 61 of 71].
Students will apply their knowledge of clarification writing and address "What Animal or Plant Would You Add to the NC Zoo." Students must research their plant or animal to determine if the zoo ecosystem could support the species.
Although competition plays a significant role in communities, it is sometimes difficult to demonstrate the complexity of competitive interactions to an introductory class. This exercise investigates the effects of competition on reproduction within and between two species. Students design an experiment by placing females on a host, alone, or with conspecific or interspecific competitors. In a subsequent lab, students gather data on the number of offspring produced by females under each condition and discuss implications of the results. For more advanced students, information is included on using statistical analyses to compare the impacts of interspecific vs. intraspecific competition.
Is it possible to use DNA barcodes to identify species? Hebert et al 2004 studied birds to find out.
Hebert et al 2004 studied birds to determine whether or not a standard section of DNA could distinguish between species. Their results are summarized here.
Is it possible to identify species using a standard piece of DNA? Liza Gross summarizes original research published by PLoS Biology that investigates this question.
Can DNA Barcodes help us identify and classify living things? Paul Hebert and colleagues have proposed DNA Barcodes as a way to identify bird species. Read on to explore their recent research article, "Identification of Birds through DNA Barcodes," published in PLoS Biology.
This resource is a detailed manual of protocols and instructional information for carrying out an undergraduate laboratory exercise in paleoecology and natural history, including student outlines, background information, and instructors notes.
Species extinction is happening at an alarming rate according to scientists. In this lesson, students are asked to consider why extinction is a problem that we should concern us. They are taught that destruction of habitat is the main reason many species are threatened. The lesson explores ways that engineers can help save endangered species.
This fun Web site is part of OLogy, where kids can collect virtual trading cards and create projects with them. Here, they take a look at why so many species are disappearing from our planet.
This brief online article show students how to use a formula called the biodiversity index to describe the amount of species diversity in a given area. The article starts with an explanation of why an environment with a single species of adapted plants is more at risk. Two sample calculations are given along with the formula, illustrating how the formula can be applied to a carrot patch or a forest area.
This video segment from Evolution: "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" shows biologists Chris Schneider and Tom Smith studying hummingbirds and other animals in Ecuador. Their research is investigating the processes by which new species are formed.
Coastal environments are by their nature ever-changing. This unit looks at the example of the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England, describing how the current state of the estuary came to be. It examines the contests and conflicts that center on the estuary in terms of managing the environment for human needs and the needs of the other species who make their habitat there.
Ecologists often study the dynamics of single-species populations or the interactions between two species, but real ecological systems comprise multiple species. Unique effects arising from the complexity of having more than two species present are termed indirect effects: effects of one species on a second species that arise only in the presence of one or more other species. In this laboratory, we will observe guppies foraging on Daphnia in the presence and absence of aquatic plants to test for indirect effects of the plant species on the predator-prey interaction.
This image shows the true extent of invasive species introductions. In 1988 zebra mussel distribution was limited. However, their population sizes and locations have increased exponentially in the past 20 years.
This activity illustrates the interrelationship between science and engineering in the context of extinction prevention. There are two parts to the activity. The first part challenges students to think like scientists as they generate reports on endangered species and give presentations worthy of a news channel or radio broadcast. The second part puts students in the shoes of engineers, designing ways to help the endangered species.
In this Evolution Web feature, witness for yourself how a new species can evolve as you observe natural selection and adaptive radiation in action.
What is a species? In the past, scientists classified living things into categories based primarily on morphological characteristics, such as beak size, tail length, and coat patterning. Today, scientists use several methods, including genetic analyses, as described below.
