Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Definitions:
Define ecosystem:
Define biodiversity:
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Definitions:
Define ecosystem: a biological community of
interacting organisms (biotic) and their physical
environment (abiotic)
Define biodiversity: the variety of life in a
particular habitat or ecosystem
Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Definitions:
Define ecosystem: a biological
community
of
Not necessarily just
interacting organisms (biotic)
and
their
number of
types,
but physical
environment (abiotic) evenness of those types
as well!
Define biodiversity: the variety of life in a
particular habitat or ecosystem
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
How might ecosystems vary
in abiotic (non-living)
properties or conditions?
How can abiotic conditions
affect biodiversity?
How can abiotic conditions
be altered?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
How might ecosystems vary
in abiotic (non-living)
properties or conditions?
How can abiotic conditions
affect biodiversity?
How can abiotic conditions
be altered?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
How might ecosystems vary
in abiotic (non-living)
properties or conditions?
How can abiotic conditions
affect biodiversity?
How can abiotic conditions
be altered?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
How might ecosystems vary
in abiotic (non-living)
properties or conditions?
How can abiotic conditions
affect biodiversity?
How can abiotic conditions
be altered?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
Why might biodiversity be important?
Ecosystems and Biodiversity:
Leading Questions
Why might biodiversity be important?
• Ecosystem functions
–
–
–
–
food, fiber, energy
Air and water purification
Pollination and seed dispersal
Ecotourism and recreation
• The “insurance hypothesis”
– With more species or groups, ecosystems are more likely
to maintain function even if some fail due to disturbance,
disease, invasion, etc…
– Resilience to change
– Stability
Making this a classroom activity
Use the habitat types (“ecosystems”)
surrounding your own schools to sample for
biodiversity of invertebrates, and specifically
insects. The BEST plots can also work here!
Making this a classroom activity
• Modify number of different habitat types and
sampling methods to your choosing
• Incorporate concepts of randomization,
replication, etc…
Sampling for Biodiversity
• Use different habitat or ecosystem types near
your school to sample for biodiversity
• Potential habitat types: forests (primary vs.
successional), yard, parking lot, wetland,
grassland or prairie
• Encourage students to make hypotheses
beforehand
– Which habitat type do you expect to see the most
insects overall?
– In which habitat type do you expects to see the
greatest number of orders?
Sampling Method: Sticky Traps
• Refer to BEST plot protocols
• http://kbsgk12project.kbs.msu.edu/blog/2011
/09/14/biomass-and-biodiversity-protocols/
Sampling Method: Pit Traps
• Refer to BEST plot protocols
• http://kbsgk12project.kbs.msu.edu/blog/2011
/09/14/biomass-and-biodiversity-protocols/
Sampling Method: Sweepnetting
• Refer to optional BEST plot protocols
• http://kbsgk12project.kbs.msu.edu/blog/2011
/09/14/biomass-and-biodiversity-protocols/
Sampling Method: Pan traps
(pollinator cups)
• Meant to simulate the colors of flowers
• Paint bowls or cups different colors to encourage
pollinators to visit
– Red, yellow, blue, white
• Fills bowls or cups with soapy water to trap insects
• Set out (randomly) in habitat patch
• Collect after one day
Sampling Method: Berlese Funnels
• Useful for sampling insects from litter
(leaves) and top layer or soil
• Use a hand trowel to remove litter
and top ½ inch of soil from a
predefined area (5 in x 5 in, for
example, but adjust to fit funnels)
• Place into a modified Berlese funnel
(leaves first) and shine light directly
over leaves to drive insects into
container of ethanol
Invertebrate ID Resources
• “What Bug Is That?” poster
• KBS GK-12 “Invertebrate Guide”
powerpoint
– Click here
• Bugguide.net
• Dichotomous Key for Winged Insects
– Click here
• Dichotomous Key for Wingless (or TinyWinged) Insects
– Click here
Image from bugguide.net
Working with the data
• Shannon-Weaver diversity index
– Takes counts and relative abundance into
consideration
– Can be done by hand
– Excel sheet can be used to calculate ShannonWeaver diversity index using student-generated
data
Working with the data
• Shannon-Weaver diversity index
– Takes counts and relative abundance into
consideration
– Can be done by hand
– Excel sheet can be used to calculate ShannonWeaver diversity index using student-generated
data
Working with the data
• Graphing Activities
– Students can choose to graph an interesting
pattern of their choosing
– Examples:
• Graph abundance of one order across multiple habitat
types
• Graph abundances of various orders within one habitat
type
• Graph Shannon-Weaver diversity index across habitat
types
Follow-up Questions
1. Human activities can deliberately or inadvertently alter the
equilibrium in ecosystems. How did human activity affect the
different ecosystems that we measured?
2. Your data shows a difference in carrying capacities for the differing
ecosystems. Describe the factors that affect carrying capacity in
each of the habitats that you measured insect diversity in.
3. In general, what are the benefits of having high levels of biodiversity
in any ecosystem?
4. How do highly diverse insect populations and communities benefit
humans?
5. Was there a difference in the types of insect orders found in the
various types of traps? What trends did you notice?