Grayce P. Storey
The earth is made up of many environments which range from the coldest climate to the warmest, from the forest to the desert, from the water to the land, under the ground and in the air. Nestled in all of these environments are some forms of life. These organisms whether large or microscopic interact with other organisms in their environment and community.
To learn about these environments, scientist divide the world into separate units called ecosystems. Ecosystems consists of living and non-living things that interacts with one another in a given area.
An ecosystem is defined by the ecologist who is studying it. A fresh water ecosystem may include all wild life in the system, microorganisms, plants in and around the system, pollutants in and around the system, and many things associated with system while keeping in mind that ecosystems overlap and affect one another.
My unit will deal primarily with habitat of marine organisms, three types of symbiosis; commensalism, mutualism, and parasitism, to the atmosphere and back to the earth, water pollution which is cause by water runoff and debris, hypoxia in the Long Island Sound which is in most oxygen depleted areas. The organisms will suffer stress and will eventually suffocate. This can result in fish and other mobile animals leaving the area. Which results in oxygen depletion, toxic contamination, pathogen contamination, floatable debris, and education vocabulary. The students will also develop mini ecosystems using a square meter garden. The students will study microscopic organisms from various systems study how they react to toxins (i.e. gasoline, oil, soap, etc.) and will affect organisms. My unit will also include resources, lessons plans, bibliographies for teachers and students, a vocabulary list. A suggested field trip with Quinnipiac Schooner Inc., around the Long Island Sound, lots of hands on activities are recommended, and the garden ecosystem may be used year round. This unit will be used in the 7th and 8th grades science class for two weeks and the ecosystems study will be ongoing.
An ecosystem is not difficult to find, they are all around you.
