This data set can be used to determine the effect cowbird brood parasitism has on a songbird population. It includes notes for students as well as instructions for faculty.

Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library

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In this activity, students examine the nature of the interaction between army ants and ant-following birds. Ant-following birds benefit from the relationship by staying just ahead of the ants and capturing prey animals that are disturbed by the ants. While early studies suggested that the birds' foraging might in turn benefit the ants, it is possible that the birds remove prey that the ants would...

Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library

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In this laboratory exercise, students examine hypotheses about the interactions between goldenrod plants and the gall-forming insects that feed on them. Students collect and analyze data to determine 1) whether certain traits make the plants more susceptible to attack by the insects and 2) how plant reproduction is affected by the insects' feeding. Students are introduced to several competing...

Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library

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In this activity, students conduct an experiment to test a hypothesis about how freshwater snails detect and avoid fish predators using chemical cues and habitat complexity. Students generate a hypothesis, run the experiment, collect data, analyze data, and interpret their results. Instructions are also provided for further thought and discussion on the implications of the students' findings and...

Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library

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In this activity, learn about predator-prey interactions by pretending to be generalist insect predators foraging for three prey species (candy). Three feeding adaptations are used (mandibles, raptorial forelegs, and unmodified legs). Students conduct several simulations, each of which lasts about a minute. After each simulation, prey reproduce and predator numbers are adjusted to reflect...

Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library

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