Ecosystem Services Classwork
Classwork #1
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
Each statement lists an example of an ecosystem service. Label each with the type of
ecosystem service that is being described.
1. ____________________ As water flows down a watershed, the roots of
vegetation filter pollutants out of the water, thereby
helping to purify the water.
2. ____________________ Your uncle is an avid bird watcher. He gets up early in
the morning and goes on hikes at his local county park
in order to view birds and to learn about their behavior.
3. ____________________ The shirt you are wearing today was made from
bamboo.
4. ____________________ Many flowers cannot reproduce without the aid of
animal pollination.
5. ____________________ Volcanoes release carbon into the atmosphere while
vegetation absorbs carbon from the atmosphere.
6. ____________________ For breakfast, your mom makes zucchini bread from
the zucchini growing in her garden.
7. ____________________ As organisms die, bacteria break down the molecules
and recycle the nutrients back into the soil.
8. ____________________ For spring break, you vacation at a resort in Honduras
where you snorkel and scuba dive on their coral reefs.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Ecosystem Services Homework
Homework #1
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
Pollination is an important process that enables plant reproduction. Although pollination
can occur via wind or water, a majority of pollination occurs by animals. About 80% of
all flowering plants are pollinated by animals. The majority of pollinating species include
bees, moths, butterflies, beetles, flies and wasps. There are 25,000-30,000 species of
bees alone!
While pollination is essential for plant survival, it is also important for life on Earth.
Without pollination, plants would cease to exist. Since they are the base of the food
chain, this means that the rest of the food chain would suffer as well. About 80% of all
crop plants grown around the world are dependent on animal pollination. In other words,
without animal pollination, we would have hardly anything to eat.
Pollination creates benefits other than food supply. Plants are an important carbon sink.
This means that plants absorb carbon from the atmosphere. This helps to regulate the
climate on Earth. The roots of plants also play an important role in erosion control and
water purification. These processes would not happen without the pollination that
enables the plants to reproduce.
1. What type of ecosystem service is pollination? Why?
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2. In what ways do you benefit from pollination?
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3. There are 4,000 species of bees in the United States. However, the bee
population is dramatically dropping due to habitat loss, pesticide poisoning,
viruses and parasitic mites. Describe the possible consequences of this.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Ecosystem Services & Biodiversity Classwork
Classwork #2
Name: _____________________
6th Grade PSI
Wetlands
Wetlands are areas of land that are saturated with water. They are an important
ecosystem for many reasons.
 Wetlands act as nurseries for many species. Most of the fish that humans
consume spend at least part of their life cycle in a wetland.
 Wetlands are able to absorb a large amount of water and then release it slowly.
This makes them an important aspect of flood control. When flooding occurs,
wetlands are able to absorb a large amount of water, preventing it from
damaging neighboring ecosystems and cities.
 Wetlands are a natural water filtration system. They filter out sediment and toxins
that would otherwise make their way into the water supply.
 Migratory animals, including birds, fish and mammals, rely on wetlands for
habitat and food during their migrations.
 Plants and soil in wetlands absorb and store a large amount of carbon from the
environment. This helps to regulate the climate.
 Wetlands are a source of water for agricultural irrigation. Wetland forests also
provide lumber.
 The wetlands habitat is a popular destination for recreational activities like
fishing, camping and birdwatching.
1. List an example of how wetlands provide each type of ecosystem service.
a. Provisioning
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b. Regulating
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c. Cultural
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d. Supporting
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2. In the United States, human activities have resulted in the loss of 50% of our
wetlands. Describe three ways that the loss of biodiversity from wetlands could
have negative consequences.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Ecosystem Services & Biodiversity Homework
Homework #2
Name: _____________________
6th Grade PSI
The Role of Bees in Pollination
In the realm of pollination, bees are very important. In the United States alone, bees
pollinate $15 billion worth of crops. Here is a list of crops that bees pollinate:
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Fruits and Nuts
Almonds
Apples
Apricots
Avocadoes
Blueberries
Boysenberries
Cherries
Citrus
Cranberries
Grapes
Kiwifruit
Loganberries
Macadamia nuts
Nectarines
Olives
Peaches
Pears
Plums/Prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
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Vegetables
Asparagus
Broccoli
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumbers
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Onions
Pumpkins
Squash
Watermelons
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Field Crops
Alfalfa Hay
Alfalfa Seed
Cotton Lint
Cotton Seed
Legume Seed
Peanuts
Rapeseed
Soybeans
Sugar Beets
Sunflowers
Some beekeepers manage bee colonies for the specific purpose of crop pollination.
They are paid to move their bee hives around the country on trucks, moving from crop
to crop.
Unfortunately, the bees are in trouble. Since 2006, beekeepers have reported average
losses of about 30% of their colonies. The colonies appear to be healthy but the bees
will suddenly disappear from them, leaving behind honey, pollen and the queen. This
strange phenomenon has been termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). While a lot of
research has gone into studying CCD, so far no solutions have been found.
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1. Why are bees important?
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2. How will the loss of bee biodiversity affect us?
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3. Almond trees are pollinated solely by bees. Almond growers in California
continue to plant additional almond trees, despite their knowledge of CCD. They
estimate that they need 2-2.5 million bee colonies to pollinate their crop.
Currently, however, there are only 1.5 million colonies being brought to California
for almond crops. How will CCD affect almond crops and almond farmers?
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4. Suppose that additional bee colonies are taken away from other crops in order to
pollinate the almond crops. What does this mean for all the other crops in the
United States?
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Threats to Biodiversity Classwork
Classwork #3
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
Invasive Species: European Green Crab
The European green crab is a species native to Europe. In the 1800s, the European
green crab appeared in Cape Cod, MA, probably travelling from Europe by attaching to
sailing vessels. By the 1950s, the crab had extended its range northwards, up to Nova
Scotia, Canada. In 1989, they were discovered on the west coast, in San Francisco
Bay. As an invasive species, the European green crab competes with native species for
resources.
The green crab preys on many organisms, particularly clams, oysters and mussels. The
crab can dig down into the sediment several inches to find prey. It is capable of learning
and altering its hunting strategies accordingly. The digging habits of the crab have
disrupted the growth of native eel grass. The negative effects of the green crab extend
even to shorebirds. The crab is an intermediate host of the parasitic worm Profilicollis
botulus. Shorebirds prey on clams, oysters, mussels and crabs. When the shorebirds
eat the green crab, the worm is transmitted to the birds.
The green crab is known to be faster and more dexterous than native crabs. Since the
crab became established in California, a 40% drop in Manila clam harvest has been
documented in Humbolt Bay. This indicates that the crab is a threat to the ecosystem.
Ecologists are worried that the crab may become established in Washington.
Washington currently has successful clam, oyster and mussel fisheries. In particular,
Washington is home to the multi-million dollar Dungeness crab fishery. The green crab
has the potential to outcompete the Dungeness crab for food and habitat.
The Washington state government reacted quickly to the presence of the green crab.
They have instituted laws making it illegal to import or transport the crabs in any way.
They currently have a monitoring program in place to analyze the green crab population
and are working on potential control measures.
1. Draw a food web showing: European green crab, clams, oysters, mussels,
Dungeness crab and shorebird.
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2. How does the green crab disrupt the native food web?
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3. The green crab is responsible for the crash of the soft shell clam fishery on the
east coast? How did the crab cause this?
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4. How could the green crab affect the Dungeness crab fishery?
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Threats to Biodiversity Homework
Homework #3
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
Colony Collapse Disorder
Scientists have been working hard to discover more information about Colony Collapse
Disorder (CCD). While they have not yet found a remedy, they have pinpointed several
potential causes:
 Chemical treatment of colonies. Beekeepers often use chemicals as a way to
control sickness in the colonies. It has recently been discovered that, even when
these chemicals are used according to guidelines, they cause negative effects in
the colonies.
 Environmental toxins. Many of the crops pollinated by bees are treated with
fertilizers and pesticides. As these toxins make their way into the bees’ bodies,
they can cause negative effects.
 Genetically modified crops. The seeds of many genetically modified crops are
treated with insecticides that later show up in the nectar and pollen. When these
chemicals are ingested by bees, they can cause negative effects.
 Varroa mites. Varroa mites are destructive to bees. Not only is the mite
damaging, but it also transmits viruses to the bees. Many beekeepers use
chemical to try to control the mites, which is another way that toxins find their
way into colonies.
 Lack of genetic biodiversity. Only a few queen bees are used to produce all of
the other queen bees (and therefore bees) in the United States. Scientists worry
that this has led to bee colonies that have very low genetic biodiversity. Since the
bees are all very similar, if an illness or toxin is able to kill one bee, it is highly
likely that it is able to kill all of them. They are worried that the low biodiversity
has led to low resilience. If the bees were genetically diverse, some bees would
survive even when others die.
 Combination. It is possible that there is not just one cause of CCD. It may be a
combination of a few, if not all, of the causes listed above.
1. If CCD causes all of the bees in the United States to go extinct over time, what
type of extinction would this be?
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2. If CCD causes all of the bees in the United States to go extinct all at once, what
type of extinction would this be?
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
3. In what ways have humans contributed to CCD?
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4. Propose and describe three methods for increasing the future health of US bee
colonies.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Conservation and Preservation Classwork Name: __________________________
Classwork #4
6th Grade PSI
Suppose that there is a busy three-way intersection down the street from your house. It
often gets congested. There have been many automobile accidents as a result of the
intersection. A recent fatal accident has prompted the local government to take action.
Two ideas have been proposed:
 Put in a stoplight.
This option would control the traffic flow and help to prevent accidents. On the
downside, however, it would create additional congestion as cars get backed up
waiting for the lights to change. Not much construction would be necessary other
than the addition of the lights, poles and cables.
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Create a roundabout.
This option would control the traffic flow while also preventing additional
congestion. Creating the roundabout, however, would require road construction.
In order to create the necessary circle, a portion of a wetland on two sides of the
current road would be paved over. On the third side, the construction would bring
the road into the backyards of several houses.
1. What would a conservationist think about this issue?
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2. What would a preservationist think about this issue?
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3. What is your educated opinion about this issue?
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Conservation and Preservation Homework Name: __________________________
Homework #4
6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity Hotspots
Two qualifications must be met in order for an area to be labelled a biodiversity hotspot:
1. The area must contain 1,500 species of vascular plants.
2. It must have already lost 70% of its original habitat.
Because of these qualification, biodiversity hotspots can be defined as incredibly
threatened areas that are rich in biodiversity.
There are currently 34 different hotspots around the Earth. They used to cover 15.7% of
Earth’s land surface but now only cover 2.3%. This small percentage of the Earth’s land
surface contain 50% of the Earth’s vascular plant species and 77% of terrestrial
vertebrate species.
1. Why is it important to protect biodiversity hotspots?
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2. What ecological services are provided by the plants in biodiversity hotspots?
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3. Describe two different ways that species within hotspots can be protected.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Restoration Ecology Classwork
Classwork #5
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
After reading “A Citizen’s Guide to Bioremediation”, answer these questions.
1. What is bioremediation?
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2. How is bioaumentation used during bioremediation?
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3. What are amendments? Give an example.
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4. What is the difference between in situ and ex situ?
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5. List three situations in which bioremediation will take longer to occur.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
6. Describe three advantages to using bioremediation.
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6th Grade PSI
Biodiversity and Humans
Restoration Ecology Homework
Homework #5
Name: __________________________
6th Grade PSI
Biosequestration
Many human activities have increased the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. This
has led to global climate change. Results of climate change are far-reaching. Many
species are not able to survive in their changing habitats and are forced to move to
different habitats. Some species, who are unable to relocate, are in danger of going
extinct.
Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon.
Different industries have developed ways to achieve this using chemicals or artificial
means. Biosequestration, however, uses natural processes to capture and store
atmospheric carbon. By manipulating natural processes, geoengineers hope to increase
the capture of carbon, thereby decreasing the rate of climate change. Geoengineers
use the following processes:
 Reforestation. Reforestation is the replanting of trees and vegetation on
previously cleared land. Since vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide and releases
oxygen, increasing the amount of vegetation will decrease the amount of
atmospheric carbon.
 Wetland Restoration. The soil in wetlands accumulates a large amount of carbon.
In fact, 14.5% of the world’s soil carbon is found in wetlands. This ecosystem,
however, is at risk due to urbanization and habitat destruction. If the amount of
wetlands can be increased and restored, they will act as a carbon sink, pulling in
carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in the soil.
 Agriculture. Soil has a large capacity to store carbon. If agricultural practices can
be modified, carbon sequestration by soil can remove large amounts of carbon
from the atmosphere. For example, covering bare areas with hay or dead
vegetation enhances the health of the soil and allows it to be an appropriate
ecosystem for carbon-capturing microbes. Many of the changes also have the
benefit of creating healthier soil.
1. Why would biosequestration be preferable over other carbon sequestration
methods that use chemicals?
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Biodiversity and Humans
2. The above methods of biosequestration increase the amount of carbon removed
from the atmosphere. By carrying out these methods, however, other ecosystem
services are also enhanced. Think of one ecosystem service for each method
that is increased due to biosequestration.
Reforestation: _____________________________________________________
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Wetland Restoration: _______________________________________________
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Agriculture: _______________________________________________________
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3. Think about where you live. Which method would make the most sense to pursue
in your particular area? Explain.
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6th Grade PSI
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Answer Key
Ecosystem Services Classwork
Classwork #1
1. Regulating
2. Cultural
3. Provisioning
4. Regulating
5. Supporting
6. Provisioning
7. Supporting
8. Cultural
Ecosystem Services Homework
Homework #1
1. Pollination is a regulating service. Pollination regulates plant reproduction.
2. Pollination provides us with food. We benefit from the plants that are created via
pollination. These plants regulate climate by removing carbon from the
atmosphere. They also help to minimize soil erosion and they play a role in water
purification.
3. A loss of bees would mean that crop production would decrease. If the decline
continues, we would eventually see a decrease in vegetation which could lead to
climate issues. A lack of plants would lead to increased erosion and water
pollution.
Ecosystem Services & Biodiversity Classwork
Classwork #2
1. Answers will vary.
Provisioning – Wetlands provide water and lumber.
Regulating – Wetlands act as a water purifier.
Cultural – Wetlands are an important location for recreational activities.
Supporting – Wetlands are a carbon sink, which is part of the carbon cycle.
2. Answers will vary.
Ecosystem Services & Biodiversity Homework
Homework #2
1. Bees are important because they pollinate many of the crops that we eat.
2. With a loss of bee biodiversity, we would not have as much food to eat. We
would not have as much honey. The lower supply of crops would result in higher
prices in the grocery stores.
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Biodiversity and Humans
3. Not all of the almond trees will be pollinated. These trees will not reproduce and
will, therefore, not produce any almonds. The almond crop will decrease. This will
mean a loss of money and livelihood for the almond farmers.
4. If bee colonies are moved in order to pollinate all of the almond crop, then some
of the other US crops will not be pollinated. Although the almond crop will be
maintained, we might lose other crops across the country.
Threats to Biodiversity Classwork
Classwork #3
1. European green crab, Dungeness crab and shorebirds all eat clams, oysters and
mussels.
2. The green crab competes with the Dungeness crab and shorebirds for prey. It is
able to outcompete these other species, forcing their populations to decrease.
The increased predation pressure causes the clam/oyster/mussel populations to
decrease as well.
3. The green crab caused the soft shell clam industry to collapse because the crab
ate so many of the clams.
4. Since the green crab can outcompete the Dungeness crab, the Dungeness crab
will not be able to find enough food. The population will decrease which will
substantially hurt the fishery.
Threats to Biodiversity Homework
Homework #3
1. Background extinction
2. Mass extinction
3. Answers may vary. Humans have introduced many chemicals and toxins into the
environment. We have bred bees to have a low genetic biodiversity, which leads
to low resilience against pathogens.
4. Answers will vary but should be based on the info given.
Conservation and Preservation Classwork
Classwork #4
1. A conservationist wants human needs to be met while also maintaining the
health of ecosystems. A conservationist could favor either option. The stoplight
conserves the ecosystem but does not fully meet the human need. The
roundabout meets the human need but impacts the wetland ecosystem. The
conservationist might do research and find ways to restore additional wetlands or
to enhance the existing wetlands in order to allow the roundabout to work.
2. A preservationist wants ecosystems to remain completely intact. They would not
favor the roundabout as it impacts the local wetlands. Even though the stoplight
does not fully respond to the human need, they would favor this option because it
does not further impact the ecosystem.
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Biodiversity and Humans
3. Answers will vary.
Conservation and Preservation Homework
Homework #4
1. Biodiversity hotspots contain an incredible amount of the Earth’s plant and
animal species. We need these species in order to provide the many ecosystem
services that we use every day. By maintaining high biodiversity, ecosystems are
more resilient and can survive disruptions.
2. Plants provide many ecosystem services. They are a food source (provisioning
service). They carry out photosynthesis which allows all species on Earth to
thrive (supporting service). The roots of plants help to prevent soil erosion and to
purify water (regulating services). They provide habitats that are used for
recreational purposes (cultural service).
3. Answers will vary. Examples: legal protection, wildlife corridors, creation of
national parks.
Restoration Ecology Classwork
Classwork #5
1. Bioremediation is the process of using microbes to clean contaminated soil and
groundwater.
2. If the soil or groundwater does not have enough microbes, scientists will add
them. This is bioaumentation.
3. Amendments are items that are added to create the right conditions for
bioremediation to occur. Examples are vegetable oil, molasses or oxygen.
4. In situ means that bioremediation occurs at the site. Ex situ means that
bioremediation occurs away from the site, above ground.
5. Bioremediation takes longer to occur when: contaminant levels are high or are
trapped, the contaminated area is large, conditions must be modified or when it
occurs ex situ.
6. Bioremediation uses natural processes to clean contaminated areas. It can be
cheaper than other methods. There are very few byproducts.
Restoration Ecology Homework
Homework #5
1. Chemical processes usually have harmful waste products and negative effects
on the environment.
2. Answers will vary.
Reforestation: Reforestation will create natural habitats that can be used for
regulating services such as air purification, water purification and erosion control.
These natural areas can also be used for recreational and educational purposes.
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Biodiversity and Humans
Wetland restoration: Increasing wetlands will increase the amount of water
purification and flood regulation of those areas. The wetlands can also be used
for recreational and educational purposes.
Agriculture: Since changes in agriculture practices will enhance soil health, the
crops grown on the land will be healthier and more plentiful for human
consumption.
3. Answers will vary.
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Biodiversity and Humans