Ecosystem dynamics program

Excursion outline:

On this excursion students undertake a journey through high-quality natural environments to access three main study sites. Along the way they engage with content from Modules 3 and 4 from the NESA Biology syllabus including:

• Case studies of two native animal species and their ecological niches (including interactions, adaptations, evolutionary notes and population dynamics)

• Rigorous, hands-on ecological surveys of the biotic and abiotic factors at two different forest sites. The data collected from these surveys then allows for a comparison of the sites which informs a habitat assessment for the two animal species mentioned above.

• Analysis of human activities, environmental impacts, management and research priorities

• Engaging, hands-on communication tasks that focus on animal adaptations, habitat, threats and management.

  All of the fieldwork activities have an explicit teaching focus on the syllabus skills for working scientifically. 

  The inquiry questions that guide the fieldwork plan are:
  

• Why do some populations of native animal species thrive while other species' populations decline?
• What fieldwork & analysis methodologies are needed for a valid and reliable habitat survey for the red-crowned toadlets and long-nosed bandicoots at Sugarloaf Hill?
• How should the forest ecosystems at the Sugarloaf Hill be managed for maximum biodiversity in the future?

Activity details:

Sites 1 and 2 - Ecological surveys

Students work co-operatetively in groups of 3 or 4.
Each group has a bag full of quality fieldwork instruments and tools. Students use these to record quantitative and qualitative data for their site surveys of biotic and abiotic factors.

Biotic factors surveyed include: leaf litter invertebrate sampling, fauna evidence, leaf-litter coverage (using a sectioned quadrat) and identifying dominant plant types.

Soil factors surveyed include: soil texture, pH, moisture, colour and temperature.

Abiotic environmental factors surveyed are numerous and use instruments including hygrometers, compasses, clinometers, light meters and anemometers.

Students record their data and observations in two ways: first using their own worksheets and second using a shared online spreadsheet which they all access on their phones using the "Google sheets" app. This streamlines data collection, processing and analysis (and allows the teachers to spot and correct errors and suspicious data outliers as they occur)

As they work, the groups identify and discuss issues with the survey method's validity and data reliability. This discussion includes explicit examples of different types of error and bias and strategies to minimise these.

Note: To get the most out of these activities your students need to have watched these videos in the week before the excursion (videos 7 - 11 are particularly useful)

Site 3 - Case studies of native animals

Students will investigate the habitat and engage with the adaptations of two threatened species/populations that occur at the site - the long-nosed bandicoot and the red-crowned toadlet.

Students will use their own phones/devices to make a short, informative video about the ecological niche, adaptations and threats for the long-nosed bandicoot.

Site 4 (and bush tracks) - Ecosystem dynamics and human impacts

Throughout the day students will identify the relevant human activities and their associated environmental impacts (good and bad) occurring in and around the study sites.
Students learn to identify cause and effect relationships and then communicate these with a flowchart building activity.

Students are be coached on how to take the ideal photos on their own devices that enable them to best identify and communicate information relevant to the syllabus content and any assessment task the school may have.

Near the end of the excursion student groups consider and discuss information they have gathered and use this to make an initial comparison and assessment of the two study sites, specifically their suitability as habitat for the long-nosed bandicoot and red-crowned toadlet as well as future directions for land and ecosystem managers.

Assessment

Teachers can easily use this excursion experience and data collected as the basis of an assessment task.

A range of sample assessment questions, tasks and marking rubrics are available by request.

Schools that are able to organise their students to collect their excursion data using the Google sheets spreadsheet app (instead of pen and paper) will find it much easier to assess their students' data processing and analysis skills.