ECOSYSTEMS AT RISK LESSON PLANS
Week 5 – Friday 12th March, 2010
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Introduction to human impacts on ecosystems – video Nature of Australia :
End of Isolation
Booklet issued – integrated unit on Biosphere leading into Ecosystems
Week 6
Monday 15th March, 2010
 Copied down definitions from Smartboard
 Read booklet pages 4 to 10
 Need to know one GEOCHEMICAL CYCLE in detail such as Water, Nitrogen,
Carbon-Oxygen cycles
 Need to know a food chain and web and the implications of interference.
 Homework: Write a response to Figure A – Question (a) in a paragraph
Tuesday 16th March, 2010
 Read from Green Booklet on Ecosystems from Pages 4 – 10 then the
example in Fig 6.7 on page 12, pages 15 and 16. Highlighted key phrases
and terms.
 Handed out hand written sheet with two simple diagrams on looking at factors
that affect the diversity of ecosystems See fig. 1.1.1 page 11 in Textbook and
the Slide-Share link (see Wiki for link under Lesson Material) on Diverse
Ecosystems showing the slide of the relationship between Altitude and
Latitude. Would be good to look at the whole slide show on this as it covers
all the key biomes and ecosystems and reasons why there is such variation
on earth.
Friday 19th March, 2010
 Individual interviews conducted with teacher on the research project. Issues
discussed and project planned. Anna has handed hers in completed already!
 In order to understand diverse ecosystems and biomes two episodes of Man
Verses Wild watched – desert, mangrove, rainforest environments
encountered. Think about reasons for diversity? Reasons for the differences
in climate and vegetation? Basic factors include climate and water – too
much water, too little, distance from water….consider what these
environments look like and feel like? Suggest you re watch the Slide Share
powerpoint again to understand why deserts occur where they are and
rainforests.
 Next Friday a 35 min Essay to be written in class on :
 Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and
their functioning” a worksheet was given out on how to approach this
essay.
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Tuesday 23rd March, 2010
Reading from Textbook pages 88-95
Distributed booklet : coral reef ecosystems.
Looked at global location of Coral reefs in booklet and labelled map in
handout
Read conditions necessary for coral ecosystems to survive p.88.
Understood terms: Spatial, Dimensions, Biodiversity.
Copied notes relating to Spatial distribution and Dimensions.
Wednesday 24th March, 2010
Filled in worksheet relating to video “50 Million Years Under the Sea” which
explores the global distribution and condition of coral reefs in a table on the
worksheet in the booklet.
Video also explores how coral reefs have changed over time.
Friday: Essay in class in 35 minutes relating to Diversity of Ecosystems.
“Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and
their functioning”
More work will be done on the booklet with another short video on Reef
Ecosystems
Individual interviews will be conducted for the SGP
Friday 26th March, 2010
 Practice essay answered in class (see above)
 Video from Library – “Reef Ecosystems”
 Handed out notes to attach to previous set on Coral Reef Ecosystems on
Biophysical Interactions (references drawn from Macquarie Revision Guides,
Reef Ed and GBRMPA)
 You Tube videos showing biophysical interactions
 Students asked to read human impacts in text book
 Student need to have excursion notes filled in and returned BEFORE the
excursion
Tuesday 30th March, 2010
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Regretfully half the class was away on a science excursion that I was not
aware of and there is real urgency to finish this case study.
Excursion notes issued for Aquarium excursion tomorrow.
Homework essays to be written over the holidays – TWO essays based on
your Coral Reefs case study
(1) Discuss how biophysical interactions lead to diverse ecosystems and their
functioning. In your answer refer to ONE ecosystem case study you have
studied (ie. Coral Reefs and the GBR)
(2) Describe the spatial patterns and dimensions of ONE case study of an
ecosystem at risk and evaluate the human impacts both positive and
negative on this ecosystem (ie. Coral reefs and the GBR).
Syllabus topics discussed and notes taken today on:
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Nature and Rate of Change –(text p. 96-103) eg. Global Warming, Sea
level change, Coral Cay formation, various rates of coral growth, cyclones
and seasonal changes, tides and currents change daily and seasonally.
Invasion ie. Crown of Thorns Star fish plagues possibly exacerbated by
nutrient runoff from agriculture and warming ocean temperatures which
provide both food and warm conditions for more larvae to survive longer.
Vulnerability (read textbook p. 24-29) define the term. Consider how
vulnerable the GBR is? Look at notes given and
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/info_services/publications/misc_pub/c
limate_change_vulnerability_assessment/our_changing_climate
Natural Stress affecting GBR include cyclones, marine organisms, sea
level change, predators, flooding from the mainland, subsidence and
continental drift
Modifications to energy flows/nutrient cycles include – global warming
and the carbon/oxygen cycle; adding of nutrients from agricultural areas
adds to the phosphorous/nitrogen cycle; removal of triton shellfish (top
predator to the COTS) thus upsetting the food chain and increased
plagues of COTS;
Succession – primary succession on coral cays (read textbook p.95)
Read notes taken from Stacey and Lucas : Investigating Geography –
Contemporary Issues chapter on Great Barrier Reef.
TERM 2:
Monday, 20th April
Finished work on Coral Reef Ecosystems. Told to read textbook section on
Management – contemporary and traditional.
Tried to discuss events in the news relevant to topic – grounding of the
Chinese Coal tanker on Douglas Shoal on 3rd April, damaging 3km of reef.
Tuesday, 21st April
Brief Powerpoint of Chinese Tanker damage to GBR.
Started Minamurra Rainforest Virtual Fieldtrip and notes. Labelled vegetation
diagrams and labelled interactions – microclimate, emergents, canopy, filtered
light, calm, humid conditions, leaf litter and recycling of nutrients with
decomposers, leaching of nutrients. Located Minamurra Rainforest on maps.
This Friday will be doing first of two lessons on Mapping Skills.
First HSC Assessment on Friday in week 3. Both Case Studies need to be
studied. Essays, short answers and multiple choice. Mapping skills, weather
maps, climate graphs included on test.
Friday, 23th April
Corinne was away – sore arm so need a large band-aid!
Robyn replaced the class and did cross-sections on topographic maps and
gave out Tamworth Topo maps with questions to work. Grid References,
Area References, distances and cross-sections all covered.
Tuesday, 27th April
*Worked on teacher handouts – Minamurra Rainforest – looked at Aerial
Photo, Topo map and read from the HSC Online site - Geography.
Highlighted key points. Students must read the whole lot of the notes on this
from the on-line chapters.
Wednesday 28th April
Did simple sketch maps of the location of Minamurra Rainforest and a
Vegetation cross-section. Looked at location of rainforests in Australia on a
map and rainfall patterns across the Illawarra Escarpment (orographic
influences as moisture laiden clouds blow onto land from south-east)
providing high moisture content for rainforest environment.
Notes taken from whiteboard in class onto summary sheet in teacher’s
handout. Key headings included:
Spatial patterns and dimensions, nature and rate of change, human impacts
both positive and negative, traditional and contemporary, geographical
methods and tools used to gain information and data, validity and reliability of
data.
Introduced concept of Preservation, Conservation and Exploitation
management practices with the first one used by Aboriginals and when
wilderness is established, Exploitation by early settlers and cedar getters who
controlled and cleared nature; currently using Conservation – managed
ecosystem of limited people use and impacts but management is continual in
terms of maintenance, bush regeneration, collecting and storing seeds for
replanting, removal of mistflower and lantana is continual.