Nuts & Bolts of Biodiversity

Time

• 3 x 90 min sessions

• Plus field work

• Classification – taxonomy, keys

• Ecosystem services, migration, mitosis

• Extinction, evolution, convergent & divergent evolution

Materials & Methods

• Iron fasteners – nuts, bolts, screws, cotter pins, washers

• Like above, except brass, Al, nylon, stainless steel

• 12 cm x 12 cm plywood sheet, drilled hole

• 12 cm x 12 cm metal sheet, drilled hole

• Magnets

If running chromatography

• Solvents for extraction

• Running media

Group A Group B Group C Group D

NO screws or bolts

No nuts Bolts Bolts

Nuts

Washers

Cotter pins

Washers

Washers Screws

Bolts

Nuts – wrong sizes

Etc.

Washers

• Discuss features for classification

• Discuss convergent evolution

Exercise

• Fasten the sheets

• Mix groups

• Try fastening exercise

Discuss

• Ecosystem services

• Migration

• Symbiosis

• Adaptation

Redistribute hardware

• Group A: Mix of all

• Group B: Mix of all except no stainless steel nuts

• Pass magnet

• Return to attaching 2 plates

• Biodiversity loss

• Loss of ecological services

• Extinction

Field Work

• Backyard biodiversity– Collect leaves– Labeling

• Classification

• Check classification scheme against master list

• Can be done with macroinvertebartes

Molecular Taxonomy

• Chlorophyll chromatography

Discussion

• Backyard biodiversity– Issues of classification/taxonomy – selection

of features

• Biodiversity & ecosystem services

Feedback

• Needed lecture on the hardware

Biodiversity - dynamic

• Seasonal changes

• Diurnal changes

Ties in with

• Appearances Are Deceiving

• Used extensively in Puerto Rico field trip– Worksheets 2 & 3

Problems

• Seasky website ???

Thoughts

• Assign an article or two on – Classification– Biodiversity (species, taxonomic, ecosystem,

genetic)