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:

"Salt marsh ecosystems perform multiple “ecosystem services”. For example, they clean the water, protect coastlines against storm surges, and support fisheries. Sediment microbes in these ecosystems are known to mediate cycling of important nutrients, but their effects on marsh plant productivity are unclear. To learn more, a new study analyzed the sediment and root microbiomes of a dominant marsh plant, _Spartina alterniflora_. The sediment of taller _S. alterniflora_ had greater microbial biomass and faster organic matter mineralization than that of shorter plants, suggesting that the sediment microbes helped support plant productivity. The sediment and root-adjacent (rhizosphere) microbiomes of taller plants were also more diverse. Among _S. alterniflora_ of all sizes, root microbes were less diverse than sediment and rhizosphere microbes, implying that the roots were colonized by highly competitive microorganisms..."

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

The topic of photosynthesis is a fundamental concept in biology, chemistry, and earth science. Educational studies have found that despite classroom presentations, most students retain their naive idea that a plant's mass is mostly derived from the soil, and not from the air. To call students' attention to this misconception, at the beginning of this lesson we will provide a surprising experimental result so that students will confront their mental mistake. Next, we will help students better envision photosynthesis by modeling where the atoms come from in this important process that produces food for the planet. This lesson can be completed in 50-60 minutes, with the students working on in-class activities during 20-25 minutes of the lesson. As a prerequisite, students need an introductory lesson on photosynthesis, something that includes the overall chemical equation. If students have already studied the intracellular photosynthetic process in detail, this video can still be very helpful because students often miss the big picture about photosynthesis. Materials needed include red, white and black LEGO bricks (described in downloadable hand-out) or strips of red, white and black paper plus paper clips (directions provided in downloadable hand-out). In addition to class discussions, the major in-class activity of this video involves the students' modeling with LEGO bricks or colored paper where the atoms come from in photosynthesis.

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE looks at American energy consumption and the resulting production of greenhouse gases.

Students are introduced to concepts of sampling distributions, p-values, and hypothesis testing. Using both simulated and real data for methylmercury level in fish populations, students will determine whether observations fall within government safety guidelines for safe consumption.