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.
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.
All organisms within an ecosystem participate in relationships with other organisms. Some relationships benefit the organisms and are essential for both species to survive. Others are detrimental (negative) to one organism, but critical for the other organism. Symbiosis and mutualism are not the same thing! Symbiosis is defined as any long-term relationship between two or more species. Mutualism is a type of symbiosis. Two other types of symbiosis found in ecosystems are commensalism and parasitism. Commensalism is when one organism benefits from the relationship, while the other one is neither helped nor harmed. An example of commensalism is a barnacle on a whale. The barnacle gets protection and transportation to different food sources while the whale is neither helped nor harmed by the presence of the barnacle. Parasitism is when one organism benefits, but harms the other member in the relationship.
For this SLP assignment, you will research three examples of symbiosis and develop a PowerPoint presentation that includes the following:
Slide 1: Title Slide
Title Slide with Name, Course, and Date
Slide 2: Introduction
Topics to be covered in outline form
Slide 3: Mutualism
Find an example of mutualism and describe the relationship between the two organisms. Give three examples (three points that cover the benefits and at least one drawback) to describe the benefits and potential limitations of the relationship (remember from your Case assignment, even mutually beneficial relationships can have drawbacks as noted with the monkeys and wolves). Show an image to illustrate the relationship.
Slide 4: Commensalism
Find an example of commensalism and describe the relationship between the two organisms. Give three examples to describe the benefits and limitations of the relationship. Show an image to illustrate the relationship.
Slide 5: Parasitism
Find an example of parasitism and describe the relationship between the two organisms. Give three examples to describe the benefits and limitations of the relationship. Show an image to illustrate the relationship.
Slides 6-8: Exploring Ecosystems
Watch the following video:
Exploring Ecosystems: Coral Reef Symbiosis | California Academy of Sciences
Describe two examples of mutualistic relationships found on the coral reef in the video. Be sure to describe how each organism benefits in the relationship.
Provide images illustrating the relationships. How do these interactions influence patterns of distribution and abundance within this ecosystem as a whole?
Slide 9: Conclusion
Summarize your project findings.
Slide 10: References
APA Format
SLP Assignment Expectations
For this SLP assignment, you will develop a PowerPoint presentation that is 1-10 slides in length and addresses the requirements outlined above.
Place the text containing the answers to the questions above in the slide area, summarizing each topic using bullet points (in your own words, expand in more detail using the notes area).
Be sure to include citations referencing your sources on each slide (use either the slide or notes area). Include a descriptive title for each slide that describes the topic being discussed.
Be sure to include a title slide with your name, assignment type (e.g., SLP Module 3) and course title. Include an introduction slide with the subjects you will cover in outline form.
Include a slide summarizing your project findings (Conclusion slide). Your final slide should contain a list of references cited in APA format.
Review for this assignment:
California Academy of Sciences. (2016, July 14). Exploring ecosystems: Coral reef symbiosis [Video file]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/-EUUEPinEcQ
