Join Brian Baird, California secretary for ocean and coastal policy, and Russell Moll, director of California Sea Grant, as they explain the intricate effort to create Marine Protected Areas along CaliforniaŐs coastline. (56 minutes)

Join Scripps director Charles Kennel, a member of the Pew Oceans Commission, as he discusses the crisis in marine ecosystems and the scientific and governance challenges inherent in responding to the crisis. (53 minutes)

While often treated as distinct and independent ecosystems, marine and terrestrial habitats are intimately connected through a number of pathways, both natural and unnatural. Join University of San Diego biological oceanographer and Scripps graduate Drew Talley, as he discusses the ways in which these linkages are formed (and broken), and how connectivity across academic, public, and government sectors can help us to better understand coastal habitats. (55 minutes)

Join Paul Dayton, co-author of the recent Pew Oceans Commission report on Ecological Effects of Fishing, for an eye opening view of the profound consequences fishing can have on marine ecosystems and the types of protection and restoration needed to improve these critically stressed environments. (48 minutes)

Join Scripps physical oceanographer Clint Winant as he describes this complex interface between the land and sea. Learn how he and his colleagues are providing insight into how human activities can impair this fragile ecosystem. (54 minutes)

This collection of learning activities allows students to explore phenology, phenological changes over time, and how these changes fit into the larger context of climate change. Students explore patterns of solar radiation and seasons as well as phenological cycles and ecological affects of these patterns.

In this module, students will practice answering a specific question about how climate change has affected the flowering date in American elm trees. After students learn to manipulate the elm data set, build graphs, and analyze the data with a regression, they can then practice on a species of their own interest. Students can then share their species' information with the class for a larger discussion about what types of species may be affected by climate change.

Students explore the life of pikas, tiny mammals that live in alpine areas, and how they are being impacted by climate change. After a brief introduction which includes a reading, a short video, and a story that includes a mathematical model, students engage in a kinesthetic simulation to gain first-hand experience of life as a pika and how the animals can be impacted by shrinking habitat. Students then create line graphs with data from the simulation and analyze them.

Using a combination of clickable 360 degree landscapes, 2D and 3D videos, animations, interviews with scientists, and mini-games, the Polar Lab takes players onto the glacier ice and into the lab in search of evidence to answer big questions about Earth's climateâpast, present, and future. They search for plant and animal fossils that can reveal what this Arctic and Antarctic environment was like 50 million years ago. Students examine two kinds of clues that act as time capsules for exploring the past: mud cores and ice cores. Finally, students examine the rapid retreat of the massive glaciers and sea ice to better understand how changing ice conditions affect animals.

Students in a Population and Community Ecology class participate in coastal marine research focused on understanding factors determining population sizes and community interactions, particularly in the context of species that appear to be shifting their ranges with climate change. Students participate in all aspects of the research from making observations and collecting data in the field to defining questions, stating hypothesis, designing and completing statistical analysis, and interpreting and presenting results. The outcomes are a research proposal, research paper, and poster presentation. All are intended to be at a level appropriate for use as a writing sample or presentation at undergraduate conferences. Results are incorporated into the ongoing research project led by the course instructor and graduate student teaching assistant.

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Many factors influence the success and survival rate of a population of living things. Explore several factors that can determine the survival of a population of sheep in this NetLogo model. Start with a model of unlimited grass available to the sheep and watch what happens to the sheep population! Next try to keep the population under control by removing sheep periodically. Change the birthrate, grass regrowth rate, and the amount of energy rabbits get from the grass to keep a stable population.

In this video adapted from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, learn about the prairie dog, the importance of its role in its ecosystem, and how it is affected by an ever-growing human population.

In the Web-based game Predator Protector, students take on the role of an Ocean Adventures expedition volunteer member. In this role, students are charged with protecting three species of sharks from danger in order to defend the balance of nature in the ecosystem that these top predators help to maintain. Use the tips and handouts below to turn the Predator Protector game into a structured learning activity for your students.

What effect do interactions between species have on the sizes of the populations involved? Learn about the dynamics of predator and prey populations, and how they can influence one another’s patterns of growth and decline.

In this video segment from NatureScene, observe dragonflies and mayflies near Cedar Creek at Congaree Swamp National Park.

This course presents the principles of evolution, ecology, and behavior for students beginning their study of biology and of the environment. It discusses major ideas and results in a manner accessible to all Yale College undergraduates. Recent advances have energized these fields with results that have implications well beyond their boundaries: ideas, mechanisms, and processes that should form part of the toolkit of all biologists and educated citizens.

This video presents predictions and solutions for range shifts (wildlife corridors) by an iconic species of North American wilderness: the wolverine.

Students in groups of two create a 4-minute educational video, brochure, and poster on an aspect of soil erosion, soil conservation, and/or watershed health for agricultural regions within the midwestern states. This is a half term project and the materials are presented in a forum towards the end of the semester. The project is aimed to help students learn to pitch science to a wide audience and provide practice (indirectly) applying scientific principles to conservation efforts.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

This resource was created by Moe Martin, in collaboration with Dawn DeTurk, Hannah Blomstedt, and Julie Albrecht, as part of ESU2's Integrating the Arts project. This project is a four year initiative focused on integrating arts into the core curriculum through teacher education, practice, and coaching.

Students learn about Lythrum salicaria, commonly referred to as purple loosestrife, and use their new knowledge, maps and their observation skills to identify changes to the land. They also identify threats to the ecosystem because of those changes, including biodiversity of native species, ecosystem functioning, and economic issues.