U78 L2 Quark - University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Guide • 7-8 UNIT Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest Connection Biodiversity can also be studied on different scales. There

NUTSHELLIn this lesson, students develop a definition for biodiversity. Theyalso analyze pictures of threeecosystems (forest, prairie, wetland)to determine their unique qualitiesand interconnections and thenrepresent this on a Venn diagram.Finally, they use a jigsaw puzzle as a metaphor to illustrate whybiodiversity is important and discuss Wisconsin’s role in world biodiversity.

BACKGROUNDINFORMATIONBIODIVERSITYBiodiversity is short for biologicaldiversity and refers to the variety of life on Earth. It encompasses not only the organisms themselves,but also their habitats and the manyecological processes that supportthem. In fact, some would say thatbiodiversity is the key to maintainingour planet as a healthy andproductive place.

Biodiversity is often measured onthree levels. Species diversity is thevariety of different species in a givenarea. It is assessed by total numbers,relative abundance, and distributionof species. Genetic diversity is therange of genes within a populationor species. It can be assessed on three levels: within breedingpopulations, between breedingpopulations, and within species.Ecological diversity has to do withthe different biological communitiesof an area, and also with how they interact with their abioticenvironment. Each of these types of diversity is constantly changing.

Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest Connection

LESSON 2Biodiversity and the Forest Connection

LEAF Guide • 7-8 UNIT44

BIG IDEAS• Forest ecosystems are interconnected with other terrestrial

(e.g., prairies) and aquatic (e.g., wetlands) ecosystems.(Subconcept 15)

• Biodiversity (or biological diversity) encompasses thevariety and variability of all life on earth. It is generallycategorized on three levels: ecological diversity, speciesdiversity, and genetic diversity. (Subconcept 16)

• There is biodiversity within a forest. Forests contain manycommunities that support diverse populations of organisms.Different forests have different levels of biodiversity.(Subconcept 17)

• Regions in Wisconsin differ in climate (e.g., precipitation,temperature) and the results of glaciation (e.g., soil,topography). These variations lead to different forestcommunities with differing species, thereby contributing to biodiversity. (Subconcept 18)

OBJECTIVESUpon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:• Identify what biodiversity is and that it exists within a forest.• Explain how interconnections between forest ecosystems

and other ecosystems contribute to biodiversity.• Recognize how Wisconsin forests are a part of world

biodiversity.

SUBJECT AREASLanguage Arts, Science

LESSON/ACTIVITY TIME• Total Lesson Time: 110 minutes• Time Breakdown:

Introduction...........10 minutesActivity 1 ...............50 minutesActivity 2 ...............25 minutesConclusion............25 minutes

TEACHING SITEClassroom

FIELD ENHANCEMENT CONNECTIONSThis lesson ties closely with Field Enhancement 3, Forest Diversity.

Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest ConnectionLEAF Guide • 7-8 UNIT

Biodiversity can also be studied on differentscales. There is biodiversity within an ecosystem(all of the organisms in the forest, prairie, orwetland), but an even greater biodiversity whenall of the organisms in multiple ecosystems areconsidered together. For example, Wisconsin’sforests contain biodiversity because of thevariety of plants and animals within them.Wisconsin’s forests also contribute to biodiversityon a larger scale when you consider they arejust one part of all the forests in the temperateforest biome.

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MATERIALS LISTFOR EVERY 3 TO 4 STUDENTS• Copy of either Student Page 1, Forest

Ecosystem, Student Page 2, PrairieEcosystem, OR Student Page 3, WetlandEcosystem

• Copy of Student Page 4, EcosystemInvestigation

• Plastic bag, envelope, or other container tohold puzzle pieces

FOR THE CLASS• Several dictionaries or glossaries • Chalk/marker board or chart paper• Additional ecosystem pictures or posters

(optional)• Textbooks, reference books, or access to

the Internet or library for further ecosysteminformation (optional)

• One jigsaw puzzle (250-500 pieces) depictinga recognizable scene

TEACHER PREPARATION• Be sure that each Student Page 1-3, is

used by at least one group.• Divide jigsaw puzzle pieces so that each

group in the class will have a set containingan approximately equal number of pieces.Place the puzzle box out of sight so thestudents cannot see the completed puzzlepicture.

VOCABULARYBiodiversity: The variety and complexity ofall life on earth, including genetic, biological,and ecological diversity in a system.Biome: A regional ecosystem of the worldcharacterized by distinct seasonal climaticdifferences, vegetation, and animals.Community: A group of plants and animalsliving and interacting with one another in agiven area.Ecological Diversity: Variety of communitiesor ecosystems in a given area.Ecosystem: An area that contains organisms(e.g., plants, animals, bacteria) interactingwith one another and their non-livingenvironment. Ecosystems can be of any size (e.g., forest, meadow, log).Ecotone: The transition zone between twoadjacent ecological systems.Genetic Diversity: Genetic variation within apopulation or species.Limiting Factor: A factor that limits the growth,abundance, or distribution of a population oforganisms in an ecosystem.Species Diversity: The variety of speciespresent in a given area.

FORESTS AS ECOSYSTEMSA community is a group of plants and animalsthat live and interact with one another in a given area. The term ecosystem refers to acommunity interacting with the abiotic (nonliving)factors around it. Ecosystems can vary in sizefrom a large forest to a single rotting log. Even the town you live in is an urban forestecosystem. The living things in an ecosystemmay be subdivided into producers, consumers,and decomposers. Producers, or autotrophs, are mostly green plants that can make their own food. Consumers, or heterotrophs, aremostly animals, which need to consume otherorganisms to obtain energy. Decomposers aremostly bacteria and fungi, which break downdead organic matter and release some of theinorganic nutrients contained within it. Some of the nonliving parts of an ecosystem includeinorganic substances (e.g., carbon, nitrogen,carbon dioxide, water), organic compounds (e.g.,proteins, carbohydrates), climatic factors (e.g.,temperature, precipitation), and other physicalfactors (e.g., soils, topography, past glaciation).

Forest ecosystems play many essential roles.Forest plants use carbon dioxide and releaseoxygen during the process of photosynthesis.Trees keep us cooler by providing shade andalso by releasing moisture through their leaves(transpiration). Forests provide food and shelterto many different types of wildlife, and they help control erosion. Forests also provide manyuseful products such as food, building materials,and paper.

Forest ecosystems do not stand alone, however.There are connections with other terrestrialecosystems (such as prairies) and with aquaticecosystems (such as wetlands). For example,many species find shelter in the forest, but getmuch of their food from adjoining open areas.Added sunlight along forest “edges” increasesthe habitat for sun-loving plants. Some organisms(notably amphibians) need a wetland for part of

their life cycle, but can live other parts of their lifein a terrestrial area. There can be a great deal of variability within and among ecosystems of all types. The interrelated nature of theseecosystems adds to diversity. Places whereecosystems overlap, called ecotones, cansupport a greater variety of organisms thanwould be found in either ecosystem alone.

WISCONSIN BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIESWisconsin is fortunate to have a great deal ofbiodiversity. There are approximately 1,800species of native vascular plants (those withspecialized tissues for moving food and waterthroughout the plant) and more than 650 speciesof native vertebrates in Wisconsin. Thousands ofspecies of nonvascular plants and invertebratescan be found in Wisconsin, as well. Due to itsgeographic location and a variety of physicalfactors, Wisconsin has prairies, temperateforests, and small areas of boreal-type forests in the north. It also has wetlands and a numberof other aquatic communities such as springs,ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers.

Some of the limiting factors that affect wherethese communities will be found include climate(e.g., temperature, precipitation) and soils. For example, prairies and many of the forestcommunities dominated by oaks or jack pineswill be found where conditions are warmer and drier. Boreal forest can only exist whentemperatures are quite cool most of the year.Many of the pine species do well on sandy soils,but most maples need a richer, moister soil.Other natural factors also play a role. Glaciationhas had a major impact on landforms, soils, and the location of bodies of water that, in turn, influence vegetation growth. Short-termdisturbances (e.g., fire, drought, wind, rainstorms)can affect what species are present on a smallerscale and over a shorter timeframe. All thesefactors contribute to biodiversity.

Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest Connection LEAF Guide • 7-8 UNIT46

THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITYHumans depend on the variety of species andecosystems in Wisconsin and the world for clean air and water, food, shelter, and many rawmaterials for business and industry. We alsovalue biodiversity for the beauty it brings and theopportunities for outdoor recreation. Over time,we have learned much that can be applied tohumans by studying animals and plants. A widearray of useful products has been derived fromplants. As our population grows, so does our needfor resources, knowledge, and understanding.If biodiversity is not maintained, we may losesomething valuable without even knowing it. Onemay argue that on a large time scale, biodiversityis dynamic. Paleontology has shown that some organisms have become extinct and neworganisms have been created in response tocatastrophic natural disturbances, such as volcaniceruptions, asteroids, plate tectonics, and majorclimate change. Human influence has, however,caused extinctions to occur at an accelerated rate.

Apart from human concerns, many living thingssimply cannot be successful without interactionswith other organisms. Some of these organismshave symbiotic relationships, where eachorganism produces or provides somethingessential to the life of the other organism. Losingone of these organisms can have serious effectson related parts of an ecosystem. Biodiversity isa natural way to ensure against catastrophescaused by nature or humans. When there is aplantation of all the same species of trees orwhen large numbers of the same animal are kept penned together, a disease that affects thatspecies can spread very rapidly. Having a mix of species will keep a forest more intact in theevent one particular species is wiped out bydisease. If drought, a flood, or another naturaldisturbance hits an area that is fairly diverse,chances are that a natural source for regenerationexists nearby. If populations are concentrated,however, the chances of a significant number ofa certain species or subspecies being wiped outincreases significantly.

An example of a disease that greatly affectedtree populations was Dutch elm disease. In the1960s and 1970s, Dutch elm disease spreadrapidly through the eastern half of North America.This rapid spread led to the destruction ofmillions of trees in neighborhoods and cities. The disease spread in two ways – by insects or through interconnected root systems. Whenone tree in a large concentration of elms wasaffected, it wasn’t long until others were affected.American elms were a popular tree planted inthe urban environment. Having a concentrationof the same tree species in one area allowed thedisease to move rapidly and the destruction tobe more significant than if a few elms had beenscattered throughout a city.

THREATS TO BIODIVERSITYIssues related to biodiversity need to be lookedat from both a local and a global perspective. Forexample, many birds with habitat in Wisconsinforests migrate across much of the rest of theUnited States and into other countries. What isdone in any of those places, whether good orbad for biodiversity, affects those birds and maydetermine their success or failure. Since there isinterdependence among many species, currentactions may lead to changes that might not beapparent for some time to come.

Our demand for products made from wood not native to Wisconsin means that we affectresource utilization elsewhere, and again, wemay be having impacts we don’t even realize.Take for example, building materials that we use in our homes. Flooring and doors are madeof a variety of types of wood from oak and pine(grown in Wisconsin) to mahogany (grown inSouth America). Choosing a wood product fromforests that are more easily renewed, closer tohome, and less impacted by logging will haveless effect on biodiversity.

Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest ConnectionLEAF Guide • 7-8 UNIT 47

The introduction of non-native species is another way that biodiversity may be threatened.While a new species may at first seem to add tobiodiversity, most non-natives have few naturalenemies and often out-compete native species.Over time this reduces diversity. For example,exotic bush honeysuckle and buckthorn mayinitially add to forest cover; but eventually, theyshade out native plants, reduce soil moisture and nutrients, and compete with native plants for pollinators. Since we may purposely orinadvertently bring species from one area toanother, we need to be aware of the potentialeffects our actions may have.

PROCEDUREINTRODUCTION1. Ask students (by a show of hands) how many

have heard the term “biodiversity.” If somestudents have, ask them to explain what theythink it means. List their definitions on theboard/chart paper, leaving space to also writethe definitions of biology and diversity.

2. Have several different student volunteers lookup the meaning of biology and of diversity.

3. Add these definitions to the board/chart paper.There may be various definitions for each word.

4. Discuss what seem to be the key parts of eachdefinition. (Biology refers to the study of life or living things; diversity refers to differencesor variety.)

5. Put these key parts together to form a classdefinition of biodiversity. (Biodiversity is thevariety and complexity of all life on earth.)Discuss similarities and differences betweenthis definition and what students thought themeaning was before looking it up.

6. Tell students that they will now be learningabout biodiversity in different ecosystems, andespecially in Wisconsin’s forests.

ACTIVITY 11. Divide the class into groups of three or four

students and assign each group an ecosystemtype (forest, prairie, wetland). In most classes,there will be two or three groups for each typeof ecosystem.

2. Give each group a copy of Student Page 1,Forest Ecosystem, Student Page 2, PrairieEcosystem, OR Student Page 3, WetlandEcosystem. (An option if more time is availableis to have a large selection of magazines,pictures, or posters to look through.)

3. Have each group study their picture, identifyingall organisms they can see. They should fill inStudent Page 4, Ecosystem Investigation.To complete part two of the handout, studentsshould draw on their past experiences to listspecies that they would expect to find in thatecosystem even if they are not shown in thepicture. For example, humans do not appearin the pictures, but are part of ecosystems. Iftime and resources permit, the opportunity to go out and make field observations of anecosystem is ideal. Reference materialsand/or Internet research could also be used to learn about other organisms associatedwith the given ecosystem type.

4. Once all the groups have finished, draw a Venndiagram with three circles overlapping in thecenter on the board or chart paper. Each circleshould be labeled with one of the ecosystemtypes. You will use the diagram to determinethe species overlap between these ecosystems.Have one group begin by telling the class oneof the organisms found in their ecosystem. Ask students in the remaining two ecosystemgroups if they also had this organism. If allthree ecosystems have the organism, it shouldbe listed in the very center of the diagram. If two of the ecosystems have the organism, it should be listed in the overlapping spacebetween those two ecosystem circles. If onlyone ecosystem had the organism it should belisted in the open space for that ecosystem.


5. Lead a discussion about biodiversity based onthis diagram.

• Which organisms were found in all threetypes of ecosystems? (Deer, hawk, fox,raccoon, grass.)

• Are there some found in two ecosystems,but not all three? (In the Forest and Prairie:oak tree, mouse, snake. In the Forest andWetland: aspen tree, cattails, frog, turtle. Inthe Wetland and Prairie: crane.)

• Name some organisms unique to eachecosystem. (Forest: Coniferous tree, squirrel.Prairie: grasshopper, songbird, coneflower.Wetland: dragonfly, fish, otter, snail.) Suggestreasons that they are only found there.(Possibilities might be that they need acritical resource such as water or that theirfood or shelter can only be found there.)

• Tell students there are three majorcategories of biodiversity. (Species,genetic, ecological.)

• Explain that having a variety of types of organisms is called “speciesdiversity,” the first category ofbiodiversity.

• Ask what advantage there is in havingthis type of diversity. (Various speciesfill different roles or niches in theecosystem.)

• Ask students to give examples ofdiversity they have seen among the trees in a forest or in their town.(Examples could include a mixedconiferous/deciduous forest or avariety of tree species in the sameforest, such as oak and maple.)

• Are all organisms of the same speciesexactly the same? For example, areall sugar maple trees exactly thesame? (No; there are differences inshape, size, coloration, and manyunseen things.)

• Tell students this is an example of the second type of diversity, “genetic

diversity.” Why is genetic diversity important?(It is necessary for maintaining healthypopulations. If a particular population of aspecies becomes diseased and dies, othermembers of the same species may have agenetic variation that prevents them fromgetting the disease.)

• Ask students to give examples of howspecies might depend on one another. (Any food chain/food web answer is good.For example, an insect might be food for a fish, which is then eaten by a raccoon.Other possibilities include trees and otherplants providing shelter for some animals,insects pollinating plants, etc.)

• What would happen if there were more orfewer of any one species? (Eventually itwould affect all the other organisms.)


SAMPLE VENN DIAGRAM

Coniferous TreeSquirrel

Crane

DeerHawk

RaccoonFox

Grass

Oak TreeMouseSnake

Aspen TreeCattailsBeaverTurtleFrog

ConeflowerGrasshopper

Songbird

FishOtter

DragonflySnail

FOREST

PRAIRIE WETLAND

• Ask students to give examples of how somespecies might depend on more than oneecosystem. (Hawks nest in forest trees buthunt over open fields and prairies. Beaverslive in ponds and wetland areas but needthe trees in forests to build their dams.) Thisillustrates how species and ecosystems areinterconnected.

• Ask students which ecosystems are foundaround their school. If your school lacks anynatural area, use another example, such as a park, that most of your students arefamiliar with. (Answers will vary from foreststo prairies to wetlands, but accept otherecosystem types as well.)

• Now have them expand their thinking toecosystems around their community. Explainthat this is an example of the third categoryof diversity, “ecosystem diversity.”

ACTIVITY 21. Give each group a container of puzzle pieces

and ask them not to look at any other group’spieces. Have groups take their puzzle piecesout of the container and try to figure out what the puzzle picture is. Ask groups to put together any pieces that fit and also toidentify what parts of the picture some of theirpieces might be (e.g., blue pieces might bepart of the sky or of a body of water; parts thatseem to have fur or fins might be some typeof mammal or fish).

2. After a few minutes, have each group firstwrite down and then report their ideas to therest of the class. Discuss the similarities anddifferences in their ideas.

3. Next, have each group join another group (ifgroup numbers are uneven, there can be oneset of three groups) and look at the combinedgroup’s puzzle pieces. Does this alter their thinking? Can any more sections becompleted? (Probably yes.)

4. Ask one student to walk around the room andpick up as many pieces of a certain color aspossible in 30 seconds (you may want toadjust the time). How many did the studentget? Now give those pieces back to the groupsin roughly the same numbers as they weretaken. Ask the groups to gather all of thepieces of that color together in one placewhere they are working. Now have the samestudent walk around again and pick up asmany pieces of that color as possible in 30seconds. How many did he or she get thistime? (It should be more.)

5. Finally, take all the pieces from one group.Will the puzzle ever be completed with thesepieces missing? (No.)

6. Now lead a discussion relating the puzzlepieces to biodiversity.

• Tell students that the individual piecesrepresent organisms. Those that weresimilar in color or pattern might stand forone species while those of a different coloror pattern might stand for another. Did allgroups have a diversity of species? (Ifpieces were well mixed, they probably did.)

• Do students think this mix of pieces(species) gave them a better idea of whatthe picture was than if they had all of onetype? (Most will say yes.)

• Pieces that fit together show how speciescan depend on one another. Think of thegroups as separate ecosystems or separatelocations. Was there a connection betweenthem? (Yes; most groups have a better ideaof the “big picture” when they can see moreof the parts. They were probably able tomake more connections, as well.)

• How are the puzzle pieces similar to realspecies? (Different species are interconnectedlike puzzle pieces. It takes a variety of speciesto make a whole ecosystem “fit together.”)


• When the student picked up all the pieces of one color, this was similar to a disease or human-caused disturbance affecting onespecies. Give some examples of this. (Dutchelm or oak wilt disease or increased demandfor a certain species like white pine forlumber.) It was easier for the student to take more pieces when they were alreadygathered together by each group. What is this similar to? (When species are allplanted together, such as a pine plantation,or the same species planted along a streetfor shade.)

• What does this illustrate about the value ofbiodiversity? (More diversity makes it lesslikely that any one species will be destroyed.If one species is especially affected, havingmore of that kind in a different locationprovides a source for replacement.)

• Taking all the pieces from one group wouldbe like losing the biodiversity of one largelocation. What would happen if all thespecies in Wisconsin disappeared? (Morespecies may replace them from other areas.Species in other areas may be affected by a loss of food or shelter. Many naturalinterconnections between species would be destroyed because Wisconsin speciesmigrate to other areas and species fromother areas migrate to Wisconsin.) Thisshows how one place (like Wisconsin) isinterconnected with the biodiversity andecosystem function of the United States oreven the world.

CONCLUSIONWrite the following questions on the board. Havestudents (in the groups used for Activities 1 and2) discuss the questions and record their answers.Then have groups report their ideas to the rest of the class. After one group has reported, havethe other groups tell how their answer was similaror different. Rotate which group answers thequestion first.

1. What is biodiversity and why is it important?(Biodiversity refers to the variety of living

things on earth or in a given system [e.g.,biome, ecosystem, forest]. It is important tohuman beings because we depend on thisvariety for clean air and water, food, shelter,raw materials, beauty, and recreationalopportunities. We have also derived medicinalproducts from plants and learned a great dealby studying plants and animals. Biodiversityallows for the interactions among living thingsthat are crucial to survival [e.g., food chainsand webs].)

2. What are the problems of having limiteddiversity? (With limited biodiversity there is agreater chance that a natural or human-causeddisturbance [e.g., fire, disease] will lead tocatastrophic losses, as has happened withDutch elm disease. It also limits the potentialfor us to learn from or use species we maynot even know exist [or may not realize thepotential of].)

3. Explain and give examples of interdependenceof species. (Interdependence has to do withspecies relying on one another for certaincritical needs such as food or shelter. Forexample, a woodpecker depends on trees toharbor the insects it eats, bacteria in ourdigestive systems help us break down foodwhile obtaining nutrition for themselves, anapple blossom provides nectar for a bee andin the process is pollinated.)

4. Explain how interconnections between forestsand other ecosystems contribute to biodiversity.(Some species that live in forests depend onother ecosystems for food or water and viceversa. Where ecosystems meet, as at theedge between a forest and a wetland, thecharacteristic conditions and species of bothecosystems can exist. This means that thereis a greater diversity than there would be ineither ecosystem by itself. Without a variety ofecosystems interconnected with one another,these species could not survive and biodiversitywould be reduced.)


5. Using organisms and resources common inWisconsin as examples, explain Wisconsin’srole in world biodiversity. (If there were moreor less of a Wisconsin organism, how wouldthat affect the diversity of organismsworldwide?) (One example is migratory birds. If a bird that spends part of its life inWisconsin, such as the sandhill crane, isprotected, its numbers go up. That means it has greater food and space needs as aspecies and will not only affect its food [e.g.,corn and prairie plants] here, but also in Texasor Florida when it migrates. Conversely, if amigrant is hunted, if its habitat is reduced, or ifit is affected by disease or a natural disasterin one location, its numbers will go down andaffect the food chain/web of which it is a partin all places where it lives. If we choose not toharvest certain species here [such as largewhite pines], but still have a demand for theproducts made from that resource, it oftenmeans that that species, or one that canprovide similar resources, will be harvestedmore heavily elsewhere and potentially reduce biodiversity.)

CAREERSThe career profile in this lesson features Robert Howe, Director of the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity. Career Profile 5B.D is found on page 53. A careers lesson that uses thisinformation begins on page 170.

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT1. Describe how Wisconsin contributes to the

world’s biodiversity and give examples of how changes in Wisconsin’s forests affectforests worldwide.

2. Observe and illustrate (with pictures or words)biodiversity around your school. Explain howthis biodiversity contributes to the overallbiodiversity in your community.

REFERENCESCarley, B. Saving the American Elm. World WideWeb: http://users.aol.com/BCarley978/elmpost.htm

Gilchrist, S., Row, K., & Borneman, D. (1994).One Bird, Two Habitats, “Intelligent Tinkering.”Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department of NaturalResources. PUBL-RS-908-93.

Odum, E.P. (1971). Fundamentals of Ecology.Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders Company.

Sciencesaurus: A Student Handbook, (2002).Houghton Mifflin.

Strathe, S., Hylla, N., Kiser, S., Boyd, E., &Dreier, P. (2000). Wisconsin Forestree – Bridgingthe Gap Between Environment and Economy.Central Wisconsin Environmental Station.

Wilson, E. O. (1992). The Diversity of Life.Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of HarvardUniversity Press.

Wisconsin’s Biodiversity as a Management Issue.(1995). Madison, WI: Wisconsin Department ofNatural Resources. Pub-RS-915 95.

World Wildlife Fund. (1999). Windows on theWild: Biodiversity Basics. Tustin, CA: AcornNaturalists.


RECOMMENDEDRESOURCES

••• ON-LINE POSTER •••EEK! (Environmental Education for Kids),Wisconsin Department of Natural Resourceswww.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/nature/habitat/index.htmThe Wisconsin DNR has a series of interactiveforest, prairie, and wetland posters on-line.You can click on an item in the picture andread more about it. Visit the “Habitats” sectionof the EEK website.

CA

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.DROBERT,DIRECTORCOFRINCENTER FORBIOLOGYMeet Robert Howe. He is the director

of the Cofrin Center for Biodiversity.

The center was established to promote

the appreciation and study of plants and animals of the Northern Lake

States region. Robert’s work connects

him with students, community members, and government agencies. The

center is located at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. In addition to

directing the center, Robert also teaches ecology and biology courses at

the university and conducts scientific research on the animals in Wisconsin

forests.

Robert’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Biology

and a Master’s degree and a PhD in Zoology. Robert worked previously

as a Zoologist and Director of the Iowa Natural Areas Inventory. He also

is a member of several professional organizations including the Wisconsin

Society for Ornithology, the Society for Conservation Biology, and the

Ecological Society of America.

Robert says that his favorite thing about his job is, “Learning about animals

and plants, [having] opportunities to observe nature in the field, and trying to

help people manage natural resources in the best way possible, including

ways that are least harmful to native species.”

If you are interested in a job like Robert’s, he has some recommendations.

He says not to neglect math and to take every opportunity to get outside

and enjoy nature. He also suggests that you get some field guides and learn

Robert studies birds and

teaches courses in ornithology

at the university.


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This is an extra diagram that can be used as an overhead for Activity 1, step 4, or as a student handout.


“Even though our biodiversityis not as great as that

of tropical rainforests andother areas, the NorthernLake States are home to

tens of thousands andperhaps hundreds

of thousands of species.”

Cofrin Center for Biodiversity,UW-Green Bay

“Knowledge about localbiodiversity enriches ourlives in many ways.”

Cofrin Center for Biodiversity,UW-Green Bay

Documents

U78 L2 Quark - University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point Guide • 7-8 UNIT Lesson 2: Biodiversity and the Forest Connection Biodiversity can also be studied on different scales. There