Group items tagged

Students learn about a few key migratory bird species and the USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System that conserves them, as well as the impacts of oil spills on the Gulf Coast ecosystem and its human communities. Introduces a variety of natural resource careers and the academic experience and job skills needed to be successful in these conservation positions.

Nearly 100 endangered species should be on track to meet federal scientists' recovery goals, according to a new analysis by a national nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the planet's biological diversity. The Center for Biological Diversity's review examined population trends of 110 endangered plant and animals protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in every state across the USA, including Florida's American crocodile, the gray wolf of the Rockies, and the black-footed ferret, which once existed from southern Canada to Texas. The group found that 90 percent of the species listed are on a positive trajectory toward recovery - and some are even doing better. Source: redOrbit (http://s.tt/1cmi1)

Kenya's high-elevation forests are the source for most of the water on which the drought-plagued nation depends. Now, after decades of government-abetted abuse of these regions, a new conservation strategy of working with local communities is showing signs of success.

My class and I loved this! It is funny (and now they will never forget what ecological succession is!)

"Using data for 25,780 species categorized on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we present an assessment of the status of the world's vertebrates. One-fifth of species are classified as Threatened, and we show that this figure is increasing: On average, 52 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians move one category closer to extinction each year. However, this overall pattern conceals the impact of conservation successes, and we show that the rate of deterioration would have been at least one-fifth again as much in the absence of these. Nonetheless, current conservation efforts remain insufficient to offset the main drivers of biodiversity loss in these groups: agricultural expansion, logging, overexploitation, and invasive alien species. "

This interactive world map allows users to learn about tree cover loss over time, along with some success stories from around the world. This "dynamic online forest monitoring and alert system that empowers people everywhere to better manage forests." After first agreeing to terms of use, visitors to the site can navigate to the Map tab to use a sophisticated set of tools that track tree cover loss and gain from 2000 to the present. The Stories area highlights people who are working to conserve and enhance existing forested areas from Ecuador to Egypt.

A recent study reports that high school students who study fewer science topics, but study them in greater depth, have an advantage in college science classes over their peers who study more topics and spend less time on each. The study relates the amount of content covered on a particular topic in high school classes with students' performance in college-level science classes.

The 5E lesson model is adapted from the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS, http://www.bscs.org/) and enhanced with more detail by the ESEP team for the Chesapeake Teacher Research Fellowship to provide a successful means for encouraging research in the classroom and in some cases incorporates field components to expand the investigation beyond the classroom walls.