In this unit, students will learn about the dynamic movement of nutrients among and within ecosystems primarily through the reading and discussion of scientific literature. This unit is generally subdivided into three sections: (1) allochthonous inputs (2) the role of organisms in biogeochemical cycles and how ecological theory can be applied to biogeochemistry and (3) how biogeochemical processes can assist in creating solutions for humanity's grand challenges. This unit is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop their reading and interpretation of scientific literature. Students will also become familiar with the utility of isotopic techniques and their use in biogeochemistry through readings and data analysis of carbon and nitrogen isotopic data sets. Chosen scientific articles are provided, each with their own set of reading questions. Additionally, short introductory materials are provided to introduce students to some of the general concepts and processes in the study of biogeochemistry.

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A variety of symbiotic relationships exist between sharks and other marine species in this segment from Nature.

In this lesson, students use a base number (1,000, 100, or 20) to compare the numbers of extinct, endangered, and vulnerable species and consider how their actions can help protect animals and plants.

Step 1 - Inquire: Students estimate the number of living things in a group to get a sense of the large number of species in the world.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students write numbers to represent the number of living things on the IUCN's Red List.

Step 3 - Inspire: Students compare and contrast numbers to compare groups of living things, reflecting on how to help living things in their community.

Using Simpson's Diversity Index is an interactive tutorial that walks learners through a method of calculating biodiversity. This tutorial is designed to give learners an adequete background on the Simpson's Diversity Index equation, the meaning behind the index value, and the factors that affect it!

This activity is a field investigation where students will compare the biodiversity of two separate habitats based on the collection and identification of insects.

This video segment adapted from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department explores the role of the wetlands in our environment, including providing habitats for wildlife, acting as natural water filters, and playing a part in the greater water cycle.

Views of the National Parks can be used in the classroom in many different ways. Most simply, it can be made available for students to explore on their own. Lesson plan available: Biodiversity Right Outside – Biodiversity is the abundance and variety of life-forms (animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms) at all levels of organization (ecosystems, species, and genes). In this activity students will learn about biodiversity, the importance of biodiversity to ecosystems, and will conduct their own biodiversity study.

This offline OLogy game is a fun way to illustrate how all the organisms in an ecosystem are connected and depend on one another to survive. To play this game, you'll need at least six students and index cards, a marker/pen, and a ball of twine. A list of organisms to connect is included. As students toss the ball of twine to each other, they make connections between the organisms they are linking. The game ends with a discussion about what would happen to the "web of life" that's been created if an organism left the ecosystem.

This fun Web site is part of OLogy, where kids can collect virtual trading cards and create projects with them. Here, they take a close look at the interdependence of all living things in the Dzanga-Sangha. The site opens by introducing kids to BaAka, a young girl who will guide them through the site. In the Connect the Dots, an interactive game, kids learn how the people, animals, and plants depend on each other to thrive three habitats.

In this video, Jonathan travels to Holbox, Mexico in search of the massive whale shark‰ŰÓthe world‰ŰŞs largest fish. Reaching 50 feet long, these animals grow larger than a school bus, but they are completely harmless since they eat only plankton and small fish. Jonathan gets up close and personal to a mouth the size of a small car in his investigation to discover why so many whale sharks visit Holbox every summer. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

Biodiversity is the spectacular variety of life on Earth and the essential interdependence among all living things. Students begin to learn about the term biodiversity at its most basic level. On their first field trip, students observe a natural space and report on what they see. They also begin to see the need for keeping written records and how to make scientific observations of their site. A series of optional mapping activities are presented that develop the skills required to create detailed and representational maps derived from observations and data.

In this video from WOSU Columbus, learn about wetlands, their different varieties, and why we should care about them.

What a biodiversity hotspot is, and why these locations are important to preserve. Video by California Academy of Sciences. Created by California Academy of Sciences.

Students learn about endangered species and actions humans have taken to address the issue of endangered species. The Xpeditions lesson has students think about their experiences with zoos, learn about the reasons for captive breeding, and come up with an opinion about the role of zoos and aquariums in addressing this issue. The additional activity in the Teaching Materials section has students learn about a controversy within the scientific community regarding the captive breeding of tigers. Students will read articles written by the scientists, develop an opinion, discuss the issue with their classmates, and draw a conclusion based upon additional information they have researched.

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In this video you learn what happens when a Beluga whale, normally found far north in the arctic, suddenly shows up in a Bay in Nova Scotia? What happens when she starts swimming with people and approaching boats full of tourists? This segment shows how one incredible friendly whale transformed a town, and captured the hearts of children and adults alike. Please see the accompanying study guide for educational objectives and discussion points.

This is the first teacher's guide book of the collection “The climate in our hands”, a series of volumes on the topic of climate change. The aim of this guide book is to support teachers in carrying out a range of activities on climate change and the ocean and cryosphere in their classrooms, and targets students from the upper end of primary school to the end of lower-secondary school (ages 9 to 15).

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Termites are one of the few animal lineages able to digest the most abundant biomolecule on earth, lignocellulose. Of the nine families of termites, all but one of them eat wood, with the last feeding on soil. While termites produce enzymes that break down lignocellulose, their gut microbes are still a critical part of the digestion process. But most termite gut microbiome research to date is based on research from wood-feeding or pest species of termites. So, a recent study examined the prokaryotic gut microbes from a sample of termite species that better represent the diversity of termites. The gut microbes possessed a similar set of carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism genes across the termite phylogenetic tree. The proportions of these genes varied with the hosts’ diet and position on the phylogenetic tree. Surprisingly, the soil-feeding termites didn't even have unique microbial metabolic genes or pathways compared to wood-feeding species..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio https://www.idigbio.org) is the National Resource for Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC) funded by the National Science Foundation. Through ADBC, data and images for millions of biological specimens are being made available in electronic format for the research community, government agencies, students, educators, and the general public.

The iDigBio specimen portal (https://www.idigbio.org/portal) provides access to millions of records about neontological and paleontological specimens curated at museums and other institutions in the US. Records might include information about the specimen, when, where and by whom it was collected, the institution providing the data, images and other media related to the specimen.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Rainforest rivers receive large amounts of terrestrially derived organic matter (TeOM) and carry it to the ocean, which plays a major role in linking terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Degradation of TeOM relies on river microbes capable of breaking down difficult-to-digest material. Unfortunately, many of the genes involved in this process are unknown. A recent study sought to better understand the genomic machinery of these microbes in one of the largest rivers in the world – the Amazon River. By analyzing 106 metagenomes from 30 sampling points along the river, researchers constructed the Amazon River basin Microbial non-redundant Gene Catalogue, or AMnrGC, including 3.7 million non-redundant genes, most of which belong to bacteria..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.