Category: Ecology

What is the trend in ice cover for Cazenoiva Lake over the last century?

1) What is the trend in ice cover for Cazenoiva Lake over the last century?

2) Given what you learned about the physical and biological properties of water speculate: what other factors might cause the trends in ice cover data to change over the past century? (you may want to review the physical characteristics of water and terrestrial plants).

3) Which proxy do you think would be more accurate to determine global climate change? The ice cover data or the data on blooming times collected by the scientists mentioned in the NPR study we listened to in this module? Why do you think this? Give reasons based on your research into what causes ice to melt on lakes, and what may impact blooming times from the discussions. Cite your sources for full credit.

Write a paragraph explaining the value of this course to you… and if you didn’t think it was valuable… explain why it isn’t… don’t worry it won’t be used against you.

Course Reflection: Wildland ecology

Create a bullet list of the CONCEPTS you learned in this course. The bullet points must be written in sentences. They can not be a list of terms (e.g. predation, mutualism, etc.) And don’t submit a list of just a couple of things.

Write a paragraph explaining the value of this course to you… and if you didn’t think it was valuable… explain why it isn’t… don’t worry it won’t be used against you.

Identify an incidence of land conversion near where you live, your home town, your favorite vacation spot – anywhere. Write a 2-3 page paper that includes:

Land Conversion Impacts

Identify an incidence of land conversion near where you live, your home town, your favorite vacation spot – anywhere. Write a 2-3 page paper that includes:

describing the land conversion,
outlines the ecological impacts of the land conversion
references/cites the reading materials in this module as well as any you find on your own.

Use the USGS volcano website to help you graph your volcanos. What did you learn about volcanic eruptions and climate?

Natural Causes of Climate Change

Investigate natural causes of climate change and complete activities A and B in the material attached. Use the USGS volcano website to help you graph your volcanos. What did you learn about volcanic eruptions and climate?

http://www.ces.fau.edu/nasa/module-4/causes-2.php
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/VHP

Explain the impact of humans on the prevalence of pollution.People began to move to the cities because of improved sanitary conditions and less disease. What was the major side effect?

Water Pollution
Answer the following questions directly on this page. Be sure to visit all aspects of the site to obtain all necessary information.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/02history.html

Explain the impact of humans on the prevalence of pollution.

People began to move to the cities because of improved sanitary conditions and less disease. What was the major side effect?

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/03pointsource.html

Define point source pollution.

Explain the term “effluent” and its role in point source pollution.

List some of the consequences of unregulated point-source pollution.

Explain how large livestock farms contribute to point source pollution.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/04nonpointsource.html

Observe the diagram depicting non-point source pollution and formulate a definition based upon the information available.

Explain the cause of most non-point source pollution thoroughly. Why is non-point source pollution so difficult to control?

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/04nonpointsource.html

Besides runoff, list the other causes of non-point source pollution given.

What are the two primary pollutants involved in non-point source pollution? Where do these nutrients originate?

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/010nutrients.html

Explain the term eutrophication and the chain of events that may occur.

Explain another harmful effect on both fish and humans.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/011sediments.html

Explain the importance of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in terms of ecosystems and suspended sediments.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/012chemicals.html

What are the two methods in which pesticides typically enter a waterbody?’

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/013bacteria.html

Explain the effects of discarded trash on runoff.

Explain how water activities can also affect bacteria and nutrient levels in the water.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/015controlling.html

List at least 2 strategies that can be enacted in each of the following areas to eliminate non-point source pollution.

Urban and Suburban Areas

Agricultural Operations

Forestry Operations
Marinas

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_pollution/016youcando.html

What are the six measures that you as a private citizen can take to control and prevent non-point source water pollution?

What obstacles and opportunities have you experienced in your own journey to achieve the American Dream? How have social structures (i.e., statuses, groups, and social class) and economic inequality impacted these obstacles or opportunities?

Layers of the Atmosphere

Is the American Dream alive and well in modern American society? Is there mostly an equal opportunity for everyone to reach the American Dream, or are the odds stacked against certain groups in America? Explain.

What obstacles and opportunities have you experienced in your own journey to achieve the American Dream? How have social structures (i.e., statuses, groups, and social class) and economic inequality impacted these obstacles or opportunities?

What is the difference between precious gemstones and semiprecious gemstones?

Mining Fact Book

What are native elements (meaning as well as examples). How are they different from other minerals? (2pts)

Why are minerals so important economically and industrially speaking? (2pts)

What is the difference between precious gemstones and semiprecious gemstones? Mining Fact Book (2pts.)

Describe the effects of invasion and succession and how they affect disturbed desert communities. Use 3 scientific articles to support your claims.

You can schedule a consultation with Rebecca Orozco at
https://guides.library.unlv.edu/appointments.
Prompts:

Decide on an endangered plant or animal in Nevada. Write about its current habitat. What could make it go extinct? What could potentially save it? Use at least 3 scientific articles as support.

Write a critical review or response to an ecological scientific article, making sure to both summarize and evaluate the article. Use at least 3 other scientific articles in building your response.

Select a mutualism. Summarize 3 scientific articles supporting or refuting the hypothesis that the fitness of both partners is increased.

Choose an invasive aquatic species. Summarize 3 scientific articles demonstrating a recent negative (or positive) effect on native species, and in your opinion, the best management solution (and why).

In class we discussed how the taxonomic hierarchy (domains, kingdoms, phyla… species) can be viewed as a human abstraction. Select one of these groupings and present an argument for or against the use of this hierarchy in science and for citizens, citing at least 3 sources from the peer reviewed literature.

Describe the effects of invasion and succession and how they affect disturbed desert communities. Use 3 scientific articles to support your claims.

Consider how humans have either positively or negatively impacted communities (e.g. species dispersal,fire regimes, etc.). Choose one ecological example and use 3 scientific articles to describe the impact.