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LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
SummaryThislessonwilldefinetheterminvasivespeciesandexplaintheecologicalconsequenceswhenforeignspeciesareintroducedintoasystem.Studentswillbeintroducedtoexamplesofinvasivespeciesthatarenowpermanentorganismsinourecosystems.Thelessonwillalsoaddressmeasurestomitigatenegativeimpactsofinvasivespeciesandhowtopreventadditionalinvasivespeciesfromestablishinginourecosystems.ContentAreaEcology,MarineBiologyGradeLevel3-5KeyConcept(s)• Invasivespeciesareorganismsintroducedintoanecosystemthatarenotnativeto
thatecosystem.
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KeyConcept(s)• Invasivespeciescanhavedevastatingeffectsontheecologicalbalanceofan
ecosystem.Theycanoutcompeteandconsumenativespeciesandreducethebiodiversityinanecosystem.
• Someinvasivespeciesaremoredamagingtonativeecosystemthatothers.• Manyspeciesthatyoumayencountereverydayareinvasivespecies.• Invasivespeciescanimpacteconomicalresourcesandcostmillionsindamageand
control.• Youcantakestepstoreducethenegativeimpactofinvasivespeciesandprevent
newinvadersfromenteringourecosystems.
ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:• Defineinvasivespecies.• Namethreeexamplesofinvasivespeciesthataffecttheirlocaland/orregional
ecology.• Explainoneexamplehowinvasivespeciescausedamagetoexistingnative
ecosystems.
LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
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ObjectivesStudentswillbeableto:• Nametwowaystheycanhelpreducethenegativeimpactofinvasivespeciesand
preventtheintroductionofnativespeciesintoourecosystems.
ResourcesEcologicalinformation,speciesprofiles,andregulationshttps://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/main.shtmlNationalWildlifeFederation:Information,species,howtohelphttp://www.nwf.org/Wildlife/Threats-to-Wildlife/Invasive-Species.aspxGCOOSLionfishandTigerShrimpinteractivemapshttps://bit.ly/3bSbxLihttps://bit.ly/39J4X84
LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
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NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
UnifyingConceptsandProcesses2.Evidence,models,andexplanation
Evidenceconsistsofobservationsanddataonwhichtobasescientificexplanations.Usingevidencetounderstandinteractionsallowsindividualstopredictchangesinnaturalanddesignedsystems.
UnifyingConceptsandProcesses3.Change,constancy,andmeasurement
Changesmightoccur,forexample,inpropertiesofmaterials,positionofobjects,motion,andformandfunctionofsystems.Interactionswithinandamongsystemsresultinchange.Changesvaryinrate,scale,andpattern,includingtrendsandcycles.
ScienceasInquiryA.1.AbilitiesnecessarytodoscientificinquiryAskaquestionsaboutobjects,organisms,andeventsintheenvironment.
Thisaspectofthestan-dardemphasizesstudentsaskingquestionsthattheycananswerwithscientificknowl-edge,combinedwiththeirownobserva-tions.Studentsshouldanswertheirques-tionsbyseekinginformationfromreliablesourcesofscientificinformationandfromtheirownobservationsandinvestigations.
LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
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NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
LifeScienceC.1.Characteristicsoforganisms
Organismscansurviveonlyinenvironmentsinwhichtheirneedscanbemet.Theworldhasmanydifferentenvironments,anddistinctenvironmentssupportthelifeofdifferenttypesoforganisms.
LifeScienceC.3.Organismsandtheirenvironments
Allorganismscausechangesintheenvironmentwheretheylive.Someofthesechangesaredetrimentaltotheorganismorotherorganisms,whereasothersarebeneficial.
ScienceinPersonalandSocialPerspectivesF.4.Changesinenvironments
Changesinenvironmentscanbenatur-alorinfluencedbyhumans.Somechangesaregood,somearebad,andsomeareneithergoodnorbad.Someenvironmentalchangesoccurslowly,andothersoccurrapidly.
LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
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NationalScienceEducationStandardorOceanLiteracyEssentialPrinciple
LearningGoals
Principle6(3-5C.,C.7.,C.10.)TheoceanandhumansareinextricablyinterconnectedHumanimpactontheocean.
C.Humansimpacttheoceaninpositiveandnegativeways.C.7.Individualscantakeactionstoprotecttheocean.C.10.Everyonecanlearnandinfluenceotherpeopleaboutthewiseuseandprotectionoftheocean.
LessonPlan–InvasiveSpecies
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InvasiveSpecies
No,notaliensfromouterspace!
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Invasivespeciesareplantsandanimalsthatdonotnaturallyoccurinanarea.TheyarealsocalledNON-NATIVEorEXOTICspecies.
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InvasiveSpeciesinFlorida
• Morethan500non-nativeanimals• Morethan1,180non-nativeplantsWhyaretheybad?Out-competenativespeciesDestroyhabitatCarrydiseases
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SomeofFlorida’sInvasiveAnimals
Nutria
WildBoar—Europe
Python
CubanTreeFrog
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MonkorQuakerParakeet(SouthAmerica)
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IguanasCentralandSouthAmerica
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Red-earedsliderMississippiRiverArea
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FireantsNativetoCentralandSouthAmerica
HomeBud27
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GiantAfricanLandSnail
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WaterHyacinth(SouthAmerica)
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Kudzu AirPotato SkunkVine
AlloriginatedinAsia
Youarehere!
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• TheGulfofMexicoCoastalOceanObservingSystemcreatedatimeseriesmaptoshowhowlionfishareinvadingtheGulfofMexicoandCaribbeanSea.
• https://bit.ly/39J4X84
HowhastheredlionfishspreadthroughouttheGulfofMexico?
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Activity–InvasiveSpecies
Thisactivitywilldemonstratetostudentswhathappenswhenaninvasivespecieswithnonaturalpredatorsisintroducedintoanecosystem.Someofthenegativeeffectsinvasivespeciescanhaveonecosystemsincludepredationordisplacementofnativespecies,areductioninbiodiversity,andanupsetinthebalanceand/orstructureoftheecosystem.Materials• Styrofoamboard(frompackaging)orfoamcraftsboard• Pipecleaners(fourdifferentcolorsbesidesred);10eachof4colors(canbecut
pieces)• Craftpompomballs(samefourcolorsaspipecleaners);12eachof4colors• Redpipecleaners(Lionfish)
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Whatwillwedo?
• Buildanecosystem• Introduceaninvasive
species• Obliterateyour
ecosystem!
Note:acolorfulecosystemhasalotofbiodiversity(varietyoflife).Itisagoodsignofahealthyenvironment!
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Buildyourecosystem
• Use10eachoffourdifferentcolorpipecleanerstomakeahealthyecosystem.Eachcolorrepresentsaspeciesinyoursystem.
• Place12eachoffourdifferentcolorpompoms(samecolorsasyourpipecleaners)ontheboard.Eachpompomrepresentsfoodforthespeciesthathasthesamepipecleanercolor
Forexample,ifyouuseabluepipecleanertorepresentabottlenosedolphin,thanabluepompommightbeafavoritefish(e.g.,sardines,anchovy,mullet).
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InvasiveSpeciesAttack!
• Redpipecleanersrepresentourinvasivespecies(lionfish).• Eachround,Iwilltellyouhowmanyinvasivelionfish(redpipecleaners)to
add.• Everytimeyouaddlionfish,youmustremoveatleastthatmany
pompomsofthecolororcolorsIcall.• Sometimesitwillbethesamenumberofpompomsandothertimesitwill
bemorepompoms(becauselionfishhavevoraciousappetites!Also,theinvasivespeciescandirectly‘eat’apipecleanerofanothercolor!
• WhenALLthepompomsofaparticularcolorare‘eaten’bytheinvasivespecies,youmustremoveallthepipecleanersofthatcolorfromtheStyrofoamboard(nofood=death!)
Whowillhavethelastnon-invasivespeciesontheirStyrofoamboard?
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EcosystemObliterated!
• Biodiversitywilleventuallydisappearandyouwillbeleftwithonlyinvasivespecies.
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SomeoftheGulf’sthreatenedandendangeredspecies• Invertebrates
– Coral:Acroporacervicornis(StaghornCoral),Acroporapalmata(Elkhorn Coral)
• Birds– Baldeagle,Mississippisandhillcrane,whoopingcrane,pipingplover,brown
pelican• Seaturtles
– Kemp’sRidley,Green,Hawksbill,LeatherbackandLoggerheadturtles• Mammals
– Marine:Blue,Fin,Humpback,Minke,Sperm,Sei,andRightwhales;WestIndianManatee
– Terrestrial:ALbeachmouse,FLpanther,FLsaltmarshvole,LAblackbear,PerdidoKeybeachmouse,puma
• Fish– Nassaugrouper,Gulfsturgeon,smalltoothsawfish
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Howcanyouminimizetheunintentionalintroductionofinvasivespecies?
• MaritimeIndustry– Ballastwater– Transportonthehullsofships
• Escapefromfishfarms• Openingofcanalsandwaterways• Useoflivebait• Releasefromaquariums/homes• Releasefromfishtrade/fishstocking• Recreationalboating• Transportofagriculturalproducts• Exoticpettradeindustry
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AcknowledgementsLessondevelopedbyDr.ChrisSimonielloforBayPointElementary.Standards-cross-referencingandformattingbyGrantCraig.Questions,comments,edits?ContactDr.Chris:[email protected]