Overview
Purpose: for students to apply their unit Ecology content to real-world examples and discuss some local ecosystems in crisis.
Directions: this week’s discussion consists of one written essay with essentially two parts… one is a biome fact sheet and the other about a local organism/ecosystem in crisis
[1] Teach your peers about a non-local biome (~ 1 page with APA citations) >> you will first visit the following website and read up on World Biomes: https://blueplanetbiomes.org/index.php >> next, choose a biome (that is NOT indicative of your local ecosystems in the Cayman Islands) and write a 2-3 paragraph educational summary about it (define it, describe its characteristics, give its geographic range, and provide examples) >> finally, research a current issue that your biome is facing today and write a 1-2 paragraph summary outlining it. If you need ideas, check out: https://environmentalsciencebiomes.weebly.com/threats-to-biomes.html
[2] Discuss a local organism in the Cayman Islands that is being threatened and their role in a local ecosystem (~ ½-1 page reflection) >> choose a local organism that is either threatened or endangered (ex. sea turtles, coral, iguana, etc.) and research it's role in the ecosystem and what is causing the major issue(s). >> educate your peers on the details; make sure you point out what ecological role and significance your organism possesses; how does it interact with other organisms; then describe the causes of the issues and predict what could happen if it vanishes. (extra credit for finding and including a picture)