Biodiversity Investigation: Part I
Exploring Geographic Differences in Biodiversity
Name:____________________
Period: ___________________
Date: ____________________
Instructions: Answer the following questions.
Explore Data
o
o
o
o
Taxonomic Groups
Amphibians
Birds
Mammals
Reptiles
o
o
Diversity Indices
Species Richness
Endemic Species Richness
1. What taxonomic group(s) do you want to research? ______________________________________
2. What biodiversity index (or indices) do you want to use? __________________________________
Create a Scientific Question
1. What scientific question do you want to investigate? Make sure your question:
o Analyzes at least one taxonomic group using at least one biodiversity index
o Is ecologically and scientifically interesting
o Provides useful information about biodiversity of the Brazilian Amazon
Example scientific question: Is species richness of birds the same across the Amazon’s
ecoregions?
My scientific question is: ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Why is your question of ecological interest?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Exchange scientific questions with your partner and use the Scientific Question Peer Review
Worksheet to critique your partner’s scientific question.
4.
What helpful suggestions did you receive?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Biodiversity Investigation: Part I
Exploring Biodiversity in the Amazon
5. What suggestions did you disagree with?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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6. After considering your review, what scientific question do you want to investigate?
My revised scientific question is: ______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Test Data
1. What is your hypothesis? Make sure your hypothesis:
o Proposes a relationship about biodiversity in the Amazon using at least one taxonomic
group and at least one biodiversity index
o Can turn out not to be true (falsifiable)
o Uses your scientific background knowledge and logic
Example hypothesis:
My hypothesis is: __________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
Design a SciencePipe
1. What is your SciencePipe design? Make sure your SciencePipe design includes:
o Dataset selector(s)
o Taxonomic group filter(s)
o Biodiversity index calculator(s)
o Output(s)
Does your question require more than one SciencePipe? __________________________________
Example SciencePipe Design:
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Biodiversity Investigation: Part I
Exploring Biodiversity in the Amazon
My SciencePipe design:
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