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Noelle Kreider

Climate Kids by NASA - 0 views

climate.nasa.gov/index.cfm

climate science global warming

shared by Noelle Kreider on 04 Jun 10 - No Cached
  • Noelle Kreider on 04 Jun 10
     
    an edutainment kind of website from NASA about climate change and global warming. very visually appealing, some good content
Noelle Kreider

Science Online - plants and the environment - 0 views

www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp

science grade 4 life science teacher resource plants adaptation

shared by Noelle Kreider on 01 Jun 10 - Cached
  • The distribution and growth of plants in the prairie is affected by numerous living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) factors (see table).Biotic and Abiotic Components of the Environment BioticPlants of the same species, plants of different species, animals, fungi, bacteriaAbioticTemperature, sunlight, water, soil nutrients, topography
  • Recently burned areas in the prairie support the dense growth of herbs and grasses because fire enhances nutrient availability in the soil. Bison prefer to graze in recently burned areas because the grasses there are more nutritious. Bison grazing "trims back" the dominant grasses, allowing other plants to establish and grow. Bison urine and dung further enhance nutrient availability in the soil, which supports the growth of some plants and suppresses the growth of others.
  • Plants are the foundation of ecosystems. Through photosynthesis, energy in sunlight is converted into sugars or other carbohydrates that plants use as an energy source. Plants also play a vital role in cycling nutrients through ecosystems. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other essential nutrients dissolved in soil water are taken up by plant roots and incorporated into plant tissue. Other organisms consume plants to acquire the energy and nutrients they need to survive.
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  • Beyond playing a critical role in energy flow and nutrient cycling, plants interact with and impact their environment in many other ways. Their presence provides not only food but also habitat for other organisms. Plants influence temperature and other aspects of climate. They also compete with one another for resources in the environment. These and many other phenomena demonstrate that plants are not just a passive backdrop on the landscape, but are a dynamic part of their environment.
  • A central principle of ecology is that organisms must have traits which help them fit and survive in their environment. For example, a cactus produces shallow roots that allow it to rapidly absorb any rainfall in the desert and specialized cells in its stem that swell to store that water. Instead of conducting photosynthesis, the leaves are modified into spines that protect the cactus from animals that may try to eat it. Photosynthesis occurs in the outer layers of its succulent, green stem.
  • The traits of the cactus described above are its phenotype, which is any structural, biochemical, or behavioral characteristic expressed by an organism. The genes in the DNA that code for the phenotype are the genotype. Genetically based phenotypic traits that promote survival and reproductive success of an organism in its environment are adaptations. For example, the shallow roots, photosynthetic stems, and spines are adaptations that promote cactus survival in the desert.
Noelle Kreider

The Habitable Planet: Online Learning for Teachers - 0 views

www.learner.org/...index.html

teacher resource atmosphere climate water online learning professional development

shared by Noelle Kreider on 07 Apr 11 - Cached
  • Noelle Kreider on 07 Apr 11
     
    The Habitable Planet is a multimedia course for high school teachers and adult learners interested in studying environmental science. The Web site provides access to course content and activities developed by leading scientists and researchers in the field.
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