ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Christopher Columbus H.S

Dr. R. Esser

News Flash:

INTRODUCED INVASIVE SPECIES

WREAKS HAVOC ON ECOSYSTEM!

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine that you are a wild life biologist working as a park ranger in one of our National Parks. Alternatively, you may be an Urban Park Ranger or a public health doctor working for a big city. Maybe you are an epidemiologist working at the Center for Disease Control, in Atlanta, Georgia. Perhaps you work for the U.S. Forest Service or for another agency within the Department of Agriculture.

Over the last few months or years, you have noticed, with growing concern, the spreading range of an introduced invasive species in your park, city, or on the job. You may have noticed that the population of this species seems to be increasing at an alarming rate. Native endemic species are being displaced due to competition with this “new arrival”. Perhaps the alien species is a predator or parasite. Since there aren’t any natural checks on its population growth, it is severely reducing prey populations. The effects of this nonnative invasive are now being observed throughout the food web.

You decide to bring this problem to the attention of others.

YOUR TASK:

You decide to prepare a power point presentation to alert your colleagues, supervisors, and/or the public to the importance of this problem.

You will gather evidence of the problem and identify the causes of the problem. You will evaluate how well the present public policies[1] are working to prevent the further spread of the alien species and prevent the introduction of nonnative invasive species. Finally, you will suggest ways to improve the present public policies and develop new ones.

THE PROCESS:

Your power point must include these slides showing:

· A Title page, which includes your name and the title of your report in large letters. Be creative!

· The Problem: You might want to create "Wanted Poster” Slides for your invasive species, with these categories: "Identifying Characteristics", "Last Seen”, and "Suspected Hideouts". For your problem, you must choose one specific introduced invasive species that is a problem in the United States. You may choose your species from the list of introduced invasive species included under resources below.

· Evidence of the Problem (at least 2 effects on the impacted ecosystem). In keeping with the “Wanted Poster Theme”, you might want to include a category under evidence of problem called "Crimes Committed",

· Causes and Contributing Factors (including how the alien was accidentally or deliberated introduced and Environmental/ecological factors which have caused it to spread)

· An Evaluation of Existing Public Policies (at least 2 Legislative Acts or Regulations or Government Agencies which attempt to control the introduction or spread of the invasive species)

· Your Suggestions of Alternative Public Policies

· Your choice of The “Best” Public Policy Solution. This will include a discussion & graph of effectiveness vs. feasibility (see Process below).

· References (You will need to cite at least 3 references)

· Slides should include images of your introduced invasive species and the native species that it has impacted.

· Your power point presentation must be at least 10 slides in length

Here are the steps you will follow, in preparing your power point presentation:

· Describe the problem & gather evidence of the problem.

· Use the web page: Identifying the Problem to help you complete the Worksheet: Identifying the Problem

· Study and explore the link on Gathering Evidence of the Problem

· Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Gathering Evidence of the Problem by searching out your own websites, using search engines. Go to Information Sources and explore it, to see other possible sources for your web quest.

· Identify causes and contributing factors

· Study and explore the web page: Identifying the Causes

· Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Identifying Causes by searching out your own websites Go to Information Sources and explore it, to see other possible sources for your webquest.

· Evaluate public policies in place at the present time.

· Study and explore the web page: Evaluating Existing Public Policies.

· Begin to fill out the Worksheet: Evaluating Public Policies, by searching out your own websites.

· Develop public policy alternatives

· Study the web page: Developing Public Policy Solutions and fill-in Worksheet #5: Developing Public Policy Solutions.

· Now study the web page: Selecting The Best Solution and fill-in Worksheet # 6: Selecting the Best Public Policy Solution. You will use this worksheet to evaluate the feasibility vs. effectiveness of each of the policies that you’ve chosen to discuss. You need to study these 3 web pages: Introduction to Costs & Benefits, Identifying Benefits, and Identifying Costs.

· Determine the best public policy solution, taking into

· consideration feasibility, effectiveness, and costs & benefits.

· You will include at least 2 different alternative public policy solutions. Each solution should be evaluated for feasibility vs. effectiveness and for costs & benefits. Plot each of your solutions on a graph of feasibility vs. effectiveness, as shown on Worksheet #6.

RESOURCES: Asian long-horned Beetle:

APES Invasive species List:

Terrestrial Plants (Shrubs, Woody Vines, Herbs)

Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate)

Day lily (Hemerocallis fulva)

Downy brome (Bromus tectorum)

Devil’s walking stick (Aralia spinosa)

English ivy (Hedera helix)

European buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula)

Field garlic (Allium vineale)

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)

Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

Indian strawberry (Duchesnea indica)

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Japanese Holly (Ilex crenata)

Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)

Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum)

Japanese wisteria (‘Wisteria floribunda)

Kudzu vine (Pueraria montana var. lobata)

Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)

Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)

Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis)

Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

Phragmites-Common reed grass (Phragmites australis)

Porcelain-berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)

Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.)

Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius)

Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium)

Silverberry (Elaeagnus comutata)

Spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa)

Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)

Yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis)

Trees

Amur Corktree (Phellodendron amurense)

Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Japanese Maple (Acer palmatum)

Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

English Oak (Quercus robur)

European (black) Alder (Alnus glutinosa)

Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum)

Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)

Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera)

Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa)

Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium)

Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)

Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris)

White Mulberry (Morus alba)

White Poplar (Populus alba)

Aquatic & Wetlands Plants

Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)

Eurasian water-milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)

Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta)

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)

Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Water chestnut (Trapa natans)

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Terrestrial Animals

Africanized honeybee (Apis mellifera)

Argentine fire ant (Iridomyrmex humilis)

Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)

Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus)

Brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis)

Camphor scale insect (Pseudaonidia duplex)

Cane toad (Bufo marinus)

European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar)

European starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

European wild boar (Sus scrofa)

Formosan termite (Coptotermes formosanus)

Glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca coagulata)

Hemlock Woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae)

House sparrow (Passer domesticus)

Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica Newman)

Nutria (cat-sized rodent: Myocastor Coypus)

Red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)

Aquatic & Wetlands Animals

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus)

Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Carp, Asian, Black (Mylopharyngodon piceus)

Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus)

European green crab (Carcinus maenas)

Nutria (Myocastor coypus)

Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

Quagga mussel (Dreissena bugensis)

Round goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

Veined rapa whelk (Rapana venosa)

Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus)

Zebra mussel (Dreissenia polymorpha)

Microbes and Fungi

Chestnut blight (fungus)

Chytrid fungus (“ki-trid”) impacting frog populations

Dutch elm disease (fungus)

West Nile virus (Flavivirus)

Salmon anemia virus (ISAV)

myxosporean parasite (Myxobolus cerebralis) – impacts salmon

SARS

Japanese Knotweed

SOME RECOMMENDED WEB SITES:

Insect Species Index

USDA agricultural research service

North American Bluebird Society

Bird Identification Information US Gelogical Survey

Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service USDA

Invasive Species of The Upper Midwest USGS

Invasive Species.org - images

Invasive Species -established and emerging Gov't websites

Nat'l Invasive Species Act (NISA) 1996

US House of Reps Subcommittee Hearing on Invasives 2002

Envirolink.org discussing problem of invasives

1999 Executive Order on Invasives President Clinton

1999 Executive Order CEQ Release

THE EVALUATION:

Power Point Presentation – 100 points

Criteria for Power Point Presentation

100 Points

Criteria	1	2	3	4	Total=pts.
I. Content Knowledge and Effort A, B, or C 12%	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject 0-5	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.7-8	Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.9-10	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration. 11-12	___/12
II. Information Content A Problem 12%	Student does not include any identifying characteristics, so that audience would be unable to identify it in the environment.0-5	Student includes an identifying characteristics of invasive, but does not include either its area of origin, geographic range or the habitat that it is found in.7-8	Student includes some identifying characteristics of invasive and its area of origin, but does not include its geographic range or the habitat that it is found in 9-10	Student includes all identifying characteristics of invasive, its area of origin, its geographic range, and the habitat(s) that it is found in.11-12	___/12
III. Information Content A Evidence of Problem 16%	Student does not include any specific effects on the ecosystem, or the effect is not clearly developed.0-8	Student includes 1 specific effect on the impacted ecosystem 9-12	Student includes 2 effects on the impacted ecosystem 13-14	Student includes more than 2 effects on the impacted ecosystem, including some statistics on the degree or extent of the damage 15-16	___/16
IV. Information Content B Causes 16%	Student does not include the story of invasive’s introduction, nor any ecological/environmental factors which have caused it to spread 0-8	Student includes brief story of invasive’s introduction or some ecological/environmental factors which have caused it to spread 9-12	Student includes brief story of invasive’s introduction and some ecological/environmental factors which have caused it to spread 13-14	Students includes full story of invasive’s introduction and all ecological/environmental factors which have caused it to spread 15-16	___/16
V. Information Content C Present Policy 12%	Student does not include a correct Legislative Act, Regulation, or Government Agency controlling the introduction/spread of the invasive species. 0-5	Student includes only 1 Legislative Act, Regulation, or Government Agency controlling the introduction/spread of the invasive species, and/or does not clearly explain how the control works. 7-8	Student includes 2 Legislative Acts, Regulations, or Government Agencies controlling the introduction/spread of the invasive species, but does not clearly explain how the control works. 9-10	Student includes at least 2 Legislative Acts, Regulations, or Government Agencies controlling the introduction/spread of the invasive species, and clearly explains how the control works. 11-12	___/12
VI. Use of Images 12%	Student does not include any photographs/images 0-5	Student includes 1 image of invasive and 1 image of an impacted native species. 7-8	Student includes 1 or more image(s) of invasive images of 2 impacted native species. 9-10	Student includes 1 or more image(s) of invasive images of 2 impacted native species. Most slides have illustrations or images, indicating much effort. 11-12	___/12
VII.Content, Knowledge, Effort, and Originality of Decisions Part D & E 12%	The student put in little effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. 0-5	The student put in minimal effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. The student included a graph of effectiveness vs. feasilibility 7-8	The student put in some effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. The student graphed effectiveness vs. feasibility and displayed their graph. 9-10	The student put much effort toward suggesting public policy alternatives & determining the best public policy. The student displayed & explained their graph on effectiveness vs. feasibility. Their suggestions were well thought out and supported. They answered all questions. 11-12	___/12
VIII. Organization 4%	Student does not present information in a logical sequence which audience can follow. 1	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around. 2.5-3	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow. 3.5	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow. 4	____/4
IX. Delivery 4%	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for students in the back of class to hear. 1	Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation. 2.5-3	Student's voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly. 3.5	Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms. 4	____/4
Total---->	< 57	58-79	80-92	93-100	____/100

CONCLUSION:

Upon completion of this project, you will have informed others about your introduced invasive species and the ecosystem problems that its introduction has caused. If you have presented a strong case, perhaps others will now join you to help save the affected native populations and ecosystems.

You will have taught others how to recognize your invasive species. You will also have told the story of how the invasive species came to be introduced.

Your audience will

understand the effect of the invasive species on the native ecology.

be able to recognize the affected native species in the field.

understand the species- specific factors and ecological factors that allowed your invasive species to spread so easily.

You will have evaluated the effectiveness of present public policies in dealing with the problem of invasive species. You will have suggested alternative public policies that are better able to prevent the introduction and spread of alien species.

Through your efforts, you may have prevented an endemic specialized species from becoming extinct!

Performance Standards

This Web quest meets the following New York State English and

Science Standards:

English

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E2e: Produce a persuasive essay.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Science

S8a: Demonstrates scientific competence by completing secondary research.

S7b: Argues from evidence.

S7e: Communications in a form suited to the purpose and the audience.

S5c: Uses evidence from reliable sources to develop descriptions, explanations, and models; and makes appropriate adjustments and improvements.

S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.

A3 a Gather information to assist in completing project work.

A3 b Use on-line sources to exchange information for specific purposes.

A3 c Use word-processing software to produce a multi-page document

[1] A public policy is a governmental action usually intended to deal with a problem. Policies include legislation, executive orders, judicial decisions, international agreements, and even school rules. Go To Understanding Public Policy.