Overview
To observe, understand, and appreciate biodiversity (what it is) and its importance to you and to the planet (what it does for us).
Biodiversity
Context: With majority of the world’s population living in urban centres, increasingly, certain natural ecosystems are shrinking and unable to thrive as they once did. Healthy ecosystems and biological diversity are vital for proper functioning of these systems and for the health of the planet overall. “Biodiversity is the safety net that enables an ecosystem to survive and thrive in the face of change.”
Purpose: To “observe” a “natural” area within an urban centre, gain an understanding of local, urban habitat and the services these habitats provide to urban areas. For this part of the assignment, you will be taking a virtual walk through a natural area within the city of Toronto (High Park). The short video uploaded to Quercus represents your “walk” through a portion of High Park. Provide a response to the following questions – some of these questions will require you to consult various sources (= citations and references) while others will require you to watch the video and provide a response based on what is contained in the video. Do not use Wikipedia as a source for this or any assignment and do not cite Dr. Verma’s lecture slides.
Below are some resources that will assist you in completing some of the assignment components: