|
|
|
Home |
Getting Started |
Resources |
Curriculum |
Site Map
|
|
Invasive Species and the National Parks
Ecosystem Unit
The Semi-Arid Network of the National Park System contain some of the last remnants of unique ecosystems that have shaped our lives here in the western United States. The abundance and fertility of these ecosystems opened the door to settlement, yet that settlement has altered, and in many places threatens, those ecosystems. Development of farm, industry, and construction, and over use of our land, contribute to the fragmentation of the land and open the door to new settlers: alien plant species. The National Park System seeks to protect these unique ecosystems, and now faces the challenge of halting the destruction of invasive aliens. Alien species rank second only to habitat destruction in causing disruption to our ecosystems, and currently about 42% of federally endangered or threatened species are listed because of the influence of alien species (Brooks & Pyke, 2001). To understand the effect of alien plant species it is important to first understand what makes an ecosystem unique. This unit is designed to give students an understanding of ecosystems and how different ecosystems interact to form the inter-connected fabric of our planet's biosphere. Students will understand that each ecosystem is a unique system, composed of biotic and abiotic factors, dependant upon each other in an intricate web of life. And students will begin to understand, through this and successive units, how and why non-native plants persist and take hold to disrupt our biosphere's intricate web... for the impacts of alien plant invasions do not stop at the boundaries of the plant kingdom.
Your Curriculum - Many earth and life science curricula follow a pattern of exploration through the geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. The following lessons can be incorporated with your regular curriculum in Life Science, the biosphere, and the characteristics of living things. When you combine these lessons with your own curriculum you take the first step to integrating invasive plants species as a unifying theme.
The glossary at the end of each lesson provides additional keywords that can assist you with background information for the integration of concepts similar to your own curriculum.
|
