These lab exercises were designed to enhance students’ understanding of the concept of chemical competition in ecology. They use the moss Sphagnum to illustrate the concept, which shows students that competition occurs between plants. Many of the traditional examples show competition as a physical battle between animals. By using the chemical alteration of the environment by Sphagnum, a teache...
In this study, students investigate whether and how much the native understory shrub pawpaw (Asimina triloba) may affect tree regeneration in a forested habitat. During one lab period in the field, they collect data on the densities of tree seedlings and saplings under varying densities of pawpaws. During a second lab period in a classroom, they test whether tree densities are lower under...
Ecological processes and patterns interact at various scales across landscapes. Spatially explicit consideration of pattern and process can better inform ecological questions. This Figure Set introduces students to the variability in scales of pattern and process and to the fundamentals of Landscape Ecology. TIEE
The Kids Into Discovering Science (KiDS) curriculum, designed for 5th grade students, includes 10 classroom lesson plans and one field trip lesson plan centered on a plant science experiment. Over 10 lessons and a field day, students practice observation, set up and monitor an experiment, analyze and present their data, and learn about plant ecology, soil ecology, habitats, and their local...
Publisher: EcoEd Digital Library PlantEd Digital Library
As invasive plant species spread across landscapes, costs of their economic and environmental impacts have sparked interest in regulating their sale and transport. Laws now prohibit the sale and movement of some species. State and local governments are drafting regulations that will affect horticulture, plant nurseries, and options for landscape design. Awareness of invasive plant species is...