The task:
As ecologists, we study the ecosystems around us to either inform about species richness (the number of plant, animal, bird, or insect species), for conservation purposes, following a disturbance (e.g., fire, flooding, herbivory), or to assess the presence of rare species. Ecosystems consist of many plant, animal, fungal, and insect species that all interact with each other. The central goal of ecology is to study those interactions.
For this assignment, students will produce a report describing an ecosystem including assessments of biotic and abiotic interactions in that ecosystem. This assignment should focus on an ecosystem easily accessible to the student (e.g., a nearby park or a backyard). Additionally, an assessment of ecosystem health and environmental disturbance should be included. Finally, a reflection on the entire course should be included.
Students can use the following apps to identify the species of interest (e.g., iNaturalist, FrogID, Euclid Eucalypts of Australia, Wattle Acacias of Australia), although it is not mandatory to know the species' names.