Download Biodiversity: Who Cares

The Value of Biodiversity and the Trouble with Invasive Species
Created for SPICE by Michael McCoy and Felicia Gray- May 2004
Modified by La Monica Malone and Christine Stracey - March 2005
Lesson 1: Biodiversity: Who Cares?
Key Questions: What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important? Why
is it important to conserve biodiversity?
Science Subject: Biology and Integrated Science
Grade Level: 6th – 8th grades
Science Concepts: Biodiversity, Value of diversity, Extinction, Threats to
diversity.
Overall Time Estimate: 50 minutes
Learning styles: Visual and Auditory
Vocabulary:
Biodiversity: The variety of living organisms considered at all levels,
from genetics through species, to higher taxonomic levels and
including the variety of habitats and ecosystems.
Extinction: Occurs when there are no more living members of a species.
Species: A group of interbreeding populations that is isolated from
other such groups.
Genetic diversity: The number of different combinations of genetic
material. Depicted by variation in the appearance (phenotype).
The greater the variation in phenotype the greater the variation in
genotype.
Species diversity: The variety of different species in a region.
Ecosystem diversity: The variety of different habitats in a region.
Lesson summary: Students are introduced to issues associated with
biodiversity via an interactive power point slide presentation. The value of
and threats to diversity are discussed. The potential importance of
conserving biodiversity is revealed through guided discussion and lecture.
Student Learning Objectives:
Student will be able to:
1. Define biodiversity.
2. Identify high and low diversity.
3. List at least 3 types of products or services that we get from
biodiversity
4. Describe 3 components of biodiversity.
5. List at least 3 threats to biodiversity.
6. Define extinction.
7. Express a personal appreciation for biodiversity.
Materials:
Per classroom:
Power point presentation: “Biodiversity: Who Cares?”
Per student:
Biodiversity: Who Cares? worksheet.
Background Information:
The natural world is very different today than it was 10,000 or even 1,000
years ago. Every natural ecosystem on the globe has been altered, many
severely, as a consequence of the rapid increase in human population size and
expansion of human habitation. However, the problem is not just a
consequence of the number people on the earth but is also a product of
where and how they live. For example, the wealthy industrialized world
consumes a disproportionate share of the global resources, while
commercialized agriculture and forestry in developing countries has
displaced rural inhabitants onto hillside slums or into other ecologically
fragile areas. The ultimate consequence is a loss in biodiversity. In fact,
annual species extinction is estimated to be somewhere between 20 and 30
thousand per year, or between 50 and 80 per day. Based on these
estimates, more than 25% of the earth’s life forms could be lost in the next
century most before they are even discovered and named by scientists.
Who Cares?
Why should we care about biodiversity? Scientists often treat the
value of biodiversity as a given, however it may not be as obvious to young
students or to the general public at large. This is problematic because
efforts to conserve biodiversity require broad public support. Having an
informed and scientifically literate populous that has a conceptual
understanding of the value of biodiversity is critical to the maintenance of
the earth’s resources for generations to come. Customarily, the value of
biodiversity has been separated into two main types: “Utilitarian” or
“Intrinsic”.
Utilitarian Values
Utilitarian value refers to the value something has as a means to
another’s end. Using this categorization, biodiversity can be split into three
basic forms; goods, services, and information. Humans eat heat with, build
with, make medicines from, and consume many living things. However, we
have only explored a small fraction of the life on earth for their potential
use to us. Many foods, medicines, materials may still await discovery and
many may already have gone extinct.
Biodiversity is also an important provider of services. For example,
plants replenish the earth’s atmosphere with oxygen and remove carbon
dioxide. Insects, birds and bats are important pollinators of wild plants and
important domesticated agricultural species of plants. Many fungi, microbes,
insects, birds and other scavengers help decompose and clean up dead
organic material. Currently, only about 20% of earth’s 10-20 million species
are known to science.
The loss of species unknown and unexplored has been compared to
setting fire to a vast library and burning books that no one has even read.
Each species may be comparable to a medical text, agricultural guide, or
construction manual, each lost with the fire. This information can be
considered a potential economic good that should be conserved. A quote
from Meadows (cited in Meffe and Carrol 1994) captures this value:
“Biodiversity contains the accumulated wisdom of nature and the
key to its future. If you ever wanted to destroy a society, you
would burn its libraries and kill its intellectuals. You would destroy
its knowledge. Nature’s knowledge is contained in the DNA within
living cells. The variety of genetic information is the driving engine
of evolution, the immune system of life, the source of
adaptability.”
Intrinsic Value
Some have argued that intrinsic value exists objectively in living
things because organisms are self organizing and self directed. In other
words, organisms have their own goals and purposes. These goals and
purposes may be either consciously chosen as in some higher more sentient
beings or may be unconscious genetically determined goals. In whatever
form, the goals of all living things include growing to maturity and
reproducing. Machines, which may be said to have no intrinsic value (only
subjective value), differ from living beings in that they have no self
interests. They have no built in goals only the goals imposed by a human.
Despite the apparent enormity of the problem of conserving
biodiversity there are reasons to be optimistic and solutions that work; the
most effective of which is making people informed that all species have the
right to exist, and that we all depend on each other in some form.
Advance Preparation:
1. Review slide show, “Biodiversity: Who Cares?” and become familiar with
the presentation.
2. Make copies of Biodiversity: Who Cares? worksheet.
Procedure:
(10 min.)
Part A. Which do you like better?
Slides 1 – 8: Have students answer questions on their
worksheet. Students should pick which image in each slide
that they prefer and provide one reason why they picked it.
(10 min)
Part B. What is biodiversity?
Slides 9-12: On slides 10 and 11 discuss how scientific
words can be broken down to determine their meaning.
Slide 11: Talk about different kinds of diversity and give
examples such as cultural diversity.
Slide 12: Emphasize the number of species scientists have
estimated to exist and the rate that they are going extinct
(make sure students know what extinction means). Students
should answer questions 8 and 9 on their worksheet.
Slides 13-15: Explain the meanings of the three different
components of biodiversity. Students should answer
question 10 on their worksheet.
(7 min)
Part C. Which is more diverse?
Slides 16 -22: Have students answer questions, 11-17, on
their worksheet. Students should pick the image in each
slide that illustrates higher diversity.
(15 min)
Part D. Value of Diversity
Once students have completed slide 22 (question 17), have
them tally up the number of A’s and B’s from part A and Part
C and record it in the blanks for question 18. Students
should also answer question 19.
By vote or show of hands, ask how many students’ answers
for Part A and Part C match. Experience suggests that
greater than 9 out of 10 students will have answers that
match perfectly and those answers will be “B”. This
exercise illustrates that humans seem to inherently enjoy
diversity of life forms and understand that natural diversity
is good for our well-being and that of nature.
Slide 23: This provides an opportunity to discuss some of
the core postulates of modern conservation biology – 1).
“Diversity is good”; 2) “Biotic diversity has intrinsic value”.
Slide 24-25: Discuss the utilitarian value of biodiversity
(7 min)
Part E. Threats to Diversity
Slides 26-27: Present information concerning threats to
biodiversity
Resources/References:
Meffe, G. K. and C. R. Carroll. 1994. Principles of Conservation Biology.
Sinauer and Associates Inc..
Gibbons, W. 1993. Keeping all the Pieces: Perspectives on natural history
and the environment. Smitsonian Institution Press.
Wilson. E. O. 1984. Biophilia. Harvard University Press.
Sunshine State Standards:
SC.D.2.3.1, SC.D.2.3.2, S.C.F.2.3.2, S.C.F.2.3.3, S.C.G.1.3.2, SC.G.2.3.3,
SC.G.2.3.4
Biodiveristy: Who Cares?
Part A
Circle the letter for the picture on the slide you like best. Explain why.
1. Which do you like better?
A or B
2. Which do you like better?
A or B
3. Which do you like better?
A or B
4. Which do you like better?
A or B
5. Which do you like better?
A or B
6. Which do you like better?
A or B
7. Which do you like better?
A or B
Part B
8. What is Biodiversity?
9. How many species of plants and animals have scientists
identified?
10. What are the three components of biodiversity?
1.___________________________________________
2.___________________________________________
3.___________________________________________
Part C
Questions 11 through 17. Circle the letter for the picture on the slide you think is
correct?
11. Which is more diverse? A or B
12. Which is more diverse? A or B
13. Which is more diverse? A or B
14. Which is more diverse? A or B
15. Which has more cultural diversity? A or B
16. Which has more biodiversity? A or B
17. Which has more biodiversity? A or B
Part D
18. Count the number of times you answered A and the number of
times you answered B in questions 1 through 7. Then count
the number of times you answered A and the number of times
you answered B in questions 11 through 17. Record your
answers below.
Questions 1-7
Which did you like better?
Questions 11-17
Which is more diverse?
A. ______ B. ______
A. ______ B. ______
19. Were your answers on question 1 through 7 and 11 through
17 similar? Why do you think so?
20. List at least three things we get from biodiversity.
Part E
21. How many species do some scientists estimate are going
extinct every hour? Every year?
22. List at least three threats to biodiversity.
The Value of Biodiversity and the Trouble with Invasive Species
Created for SPICE by Christine Stracey and La Monica Malone
March 2005
Lesson 2: Biodiversity, Oh Phooey!
Key Question(s): Why is biodiversity important? Where do humans fit into
biodiversity?
Science Subject: Biology and Integrated Science
Grade Level: 6th – 8th grades
Science Concepts: Biodiversity, human impact on environment, processes of
life, and how living things interact with their environment.
Overall Time Estimate: 50 minutes
Learning Styles: Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic
Vocabulary:
• Biodiversity- the variety of living organisms considered at all levels, from
genetics through species, to higher taxonomic levels and including the
variety of habitats and ecosystems.
• Ecosystem- a community of organisms and their interrelated physical and
chemical environment
• Species- a group of interbreeding populations that are isolated from
other such groups.
Lesson Summary: In an ecosystem there are hundreds of species of animals
and plants co-existing. In this activity the students will answer questions
from Bill Nye Biodiversity video. Afterwards, the students will discuss their
answers to the questions in small groups and then as a class.
Student Learning Objectives:
The student will be able to:
1. define biodiversity
2. explain what role humans play in the ecosystem
3. explain what a person can do to help promote biodiversity
Materials:
Per classroom:
TV and VCR
Bill Nye Biodiversity video
Per student:
Biodiversity worksheet (created by Sylvia Brooks)
Background Information:
The natural world is very different today than it was 10,000 or even 1,000
years ago. Every natural ecosystem on the globe has been altered, many
severely, as a consequence of the rapid increase in human population size and
expansion of human habitation. However, the problem is not just a
consequence of the number people on the earth but is also a product of
where and how they live. For example, the wealthy industrialized world
consumes a disproportionate share of the global resources, while
commercialized agriculture and forestry in developing countries has
displaced rural inhabitants onto hillside slums or into other ecologically
fragile areas. The ultimate consequence is a loss in biodiversity. In fact,
annual species extinction is estimated to be somewhere between 20 and 30
thousand per year, or between 50 and 80 per day. Based on these
estimates, more than 25% of the earth’s life forms could be lost in the next
century most before they are even discovered and named by scientists.
Who Cares?
Why should we care about biodiversity? Scientists often treat the
value of biodiversity as a given, however it may not be as obvious to young
students or to the general public at large. This is problematic because
efforts to conserve biodiversity require broad public support. Having an
informed and scientifically literate populous that has a conceptual
understanding of the value of biodiversity is critical to the maintenance of
the earth’s resources for generations to come. Customarily, the value of
biodiversity has been separated into two main types: “Utilitarian” or
“Intrinsic”.
Utilitarian Values
Utilitarian value refers to the value something has as a means to
another’s end. Using this categorization, biodiversity can be split into three
basic forms; goods, services, and information. Humans eat, heat with, build
with, make medicines from, and consume many living things. However, we
have only explored a small fraction of the life on earth for their potential
use to us. Many foods, medicines, materials may still await discovery and
many may already have gone extinct.
Biodiversity is also an important provider of services. For example,
plants replenish the earth’s atmosphere with oxygen and remove carbon
dioxide. Insects, birds and bats are important pollinators of wild plants and
important domesticated agricultural species of plants. Many fungi, microbes,
insects, birds and other scavengers help decompose and clean up dead
organic material. Currently, only about 20% of earth’s 10-20 million species
are known to science.
The loss of species unknown and unexplored has been compared to
setting fire to a vast library and burning books that no one has even read.
Each species may be comparable to a medical text, agricultural guide,
orconstruction manual, each lost with the fire. This information can be
considered a potential economic good that should be conserved. A quote
from Meadows (cited in Meffe and Carrol 1994) captures this value:
“Biodiversity contains the accumulated wisdom of nature and the
key to its future. If you ever wanted to destroy a society, you
would burn its libraries and kill its intellectuals. You would destroy
its knowledge. Nature’s knowledge is contained in the DNA within
living cells. The variety of genetic information is the driving engine
of evolution, the immune system of life, the source of
adaptability.”
Intrinsic Value
Some have argued that intrinsic value exists objectively in living
things because organisms are self organizing and self directed. In other
words, organisms have their own goals and purposes. These goals and
purposes may be either consciously chosen as in some higher more sentient
beings or may be unconscious genetically determined goals. In whatever
form, the goals of all living things include growing to maturity and
reproducing. Machines, which may be said to have no intrinsic value (only
subjective value), differ from living beings in that they have no self
interests. They have no built in goals only the goals imposed by a human.
Despite the apparent enormity of the problem of conserving
biodiversity there are reasons to be optimistic and solutions that work; the
most effective of which is making people informed that all species have the
right to exist, and that we all depend on each other in some form.
Advance Preparation: Make worksheet copies for each student
Procedure:
1. Ask the students if they can tell you the definition for the word
species.
2. Give the students the definition.
3. State to the students that today’s lesson is about biodiversity and
how humans can impact an ecosystem.
4. Handout question sheet.
5. State to the students that the question sheet goes along with the
video and they are to answer the questions as the video is playing.
6. Play the video.
7. Divide the students into groups of 3-5. Have them discuss their
answers to the questions. You should walk around and correct any
wrong answers and mediate when necessary.
8. After the discussions have the students discuss the positive and
negative consequences of human actions on the Earth’s system.
Resources/References:
Meffe, G. K. and C. R. Carroll. 1994. Principles of
Conservation Biology. Sinauer and Associates Inc..
Gibbons, W. 1993. Keeping all the Pieces: Perspectives on natural history
and the environment. Smitsonian Institution Press.
Wilson. E. O. 1984. Biophilia. Harvard University Press.
Bill Nye the Science Guy – Biodiversity Enhanced Classroom Edition.
Available from:
http://dep.disney.go.educational/store
Sunshine State Standards: SC.D.1.3.2, SC.D.2.3.2, SC.G.2.3.2, and SC.G.2.3.
Biodiversity
Name: ________________
Bill Nye the Science Guy Video
1) Where do most of the world’s living things live? [oceans]
2) What is biodiversity? [different kinds of life]
3) Where do people fit in? [everywhere]
4) Are the things in an ecosystem connected together or separate?
[connected]
5) What is an ecosystem? [place where plants and animals live]
6) What is the largest ecosystem? [water]
7) Name one thing you can do to help promote biodiversity. [recycle,
leave nature in nature, plant a tree, stay on trails, don’t dump]
8) How many species are there in the world? [30 million]
9) How many species are we losing every hour? [17]
10)
Why is biodiversity important? [we don’t know which species are
important to us]
Biodiversity
Name: ________________
Bill Nye the Science Guy Video
11) Where do most of the world’s living things live? [oceans]
12)
What is biodiversity? [different kinds of life]
13)
Where do people fit in? [everywhere]
14)
Are the things in an ecosystem connected together or separate?
[connected]
15)
What is an ecosystem? [place where plants and animals live]
16)
What is the largest ecosystem? [water]
17)
Name one thing you can do to help promote biodiversity.
[recycle, leave nature in nature, plant a tree, stay on trails, don’t
dump]
18)
How many species are there in the world? [30 million]
19)
How many species are we losing every hour? [17]
20) Why is biodiversity important? [we don’t know which species are
important to us]
The Value of Biodiversity and the Trouble with Invasive Species
Created for SPICE by Christine Stracey and LaMonica
Malone
March 2005
Lesson 3: The Trouble with Tribbles and Invasive Species
KEY QUESTIONS: What are tribbles? What are exotic species? Why are
they a problem? What can you do to help? What are some ways that invasive
species are introduced to new places?
SCIENCE SUBJECT: Biology
GRADE LEVEL: 6th-8th Grades
SCIENCE CONCEPTS: Biodiversity, humans’ impact on the environment, how
living things interact with their environment, processes of life.
OVERALL TIME ESTIMATE: Two 50 minute class periods.
LEARNING STYLES: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
VOCABULARY:
• Biodiversity: the variety of living organisms considered at all levels,
from genetics through species, to higher taxonomic levels and
including the variety of habitats and ecosystems.
• Introduced/alien/exotic/non-native species: animals and plants that are
living and reproducing outside their natural range as a result of
human activity.
• Invasive species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing
outside their natural range as a result of human activity and are
causing ecological and economic damage.
• Native species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing in
their natural range.
• Natural/native range: the place where a species occurs on its own, i.e.
humans did not move the species there.
• Predation: when one animal eats another.
• Biological control: the use of a natural predator to control populations
of introduced species.
LESSON SUMMARY: Students watch a Star Trek IV episode “The Trouble
with Tribbles” and complete a worksheet that introduces them to the
concept of exotic species. Following the video students receive a lecture on
exotic and invasive species with real samples of invasive species, such as an
air potato plant.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
1. define an introduced species.
2. classify common introduced and native species in the area.
(classify)
3. explain why introduced species can be a problem. (biological
hazards, species interactions, human impacts)
4. identify some ways that introduced species are transported to new
areas.
5. identify things they can do to help prevent or alleviate the problem
of introduced species. (ethics, action)
MATERIALS
Per student:
Trouble with Tribbles worksheet
Aliens in Florida! worksheet
Per Classroom:
VHS player
TV
Computer with Powerpoint
LCD projector
Sample invasive species from your area
Common invasive plants in Florida that can be found on a nature
walk: air potato, lantana, hydrilla, cat’s claw vine
If possible: Common invertebrates and vertebrates in Florida
that can be loaned from a museum: European Starling, House
Finch, House Sparrow, brown anole. (If there is no access to
museum specimens, use pictures from the powerpoint
presentation.)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Exotic species, also called introduced and alien species, are those that have
been introduced to an area by humans and whose populations have grown,
without the aid of humans, since their introduction. Invasive species are
the subset of introduced species that have a negative impact on the
ecosystem or cause economic damage. Invasives cause an estimated $137
billion per year in losses in the United States alone (Pimental et al 2000).
(If you stood 137 billion $1 bills end-to-end it would go from earth to the
moon 54 times!) In addition, the effects of invasives on native species is
staggering; of the 958 species listed under the Endangered Species Act as
threatened or endangered, approximately 400 are at risk due to invasive
species (Wilcove et al 1998). Control of invasive species is expensive and at
times very difficult, therefore the most effective and least expensive way
to control invasions is to prevent them. Everyday decisions made by ordinary
citizens will be critical in the fight against invasive species.
So why should we care about invasive species (all figures from the Nature
Conservancy 2003)?
1. Invasive species threaten biodiversity by:
- outcompeting native species (e.g. European starlings taking over
nest sites of Eastern Bluebirds),
- eating native species (e.g. introduced brown trout in Australia prey
on native fish species),
- causing the spread of infectious diseases to native species (e.g.
95% of new fish diseases in Florida are caused by invasive species),
- altering habitat (e.g. the zebra mussel changes the clarity of rivers
and stream and the natives species adapted to the original clarity
can n o longer survive).
2. Invasive species cause economic damage by:
-
causing crop damage (estimated to cost Florida $179 million in lost
sales),
- requiring costly control measures (Florida spent $45.9 million for
control in one year),
- loss of recreational revenue (aquatic weeds clogging water ways in
Florida cost an estimated $11 million per year in lost revenue).
3. Some invasive species can have health impacts, for example:
- West Nile virus,
- allergies to fire ant bites and Africanized bee stings.
ADVANCE PREPARATION
Copy worksheets for students. Watch Trouble with Tribbles video. Review
Powerpoint presentation. Obtain samples of invasive species.
PROCEDURE
Day 1: If this lesson is following the lessons on Biodiversity, start by
reviewing what biodiversity is and the things that threaten
biodiversity. Steer the discussion towards introduced species and see
if students know what they are. Show the Trouble with Tribbles video
and have students complete the Trouble with Tribbles worksheet as
they watch the video. Following the video discuss the students’
answers to the worksheet questions.
Day 2: Present the Powerpoint lecture and show or pass around the
samples of exotic species during the lecture.
Slide notes:
Slides 1-2: See slides
Slide 3: Use the example of zebra mussels to highlight the economic and
ecological problems posed by invasive species.
Zebra mussels are native to western Russia and were first discovered in
the Great Lakes in 1988. They have since spread considerably (see
distribution map on next slide).
Species interactions:
-Outcompete and displace natives: the tiny little zebra mussel attaches
itself to everything, including native mussels. By completely coating
these native mussles, the zebra mussel can kill the native species. The
lower right picture features a native paper shell mussel that is being
taken over by zebra mussels. Zebra mussels can also cover other things
living in the water, like the crayfish pictures in the lower left.
-Change ecosystem: zebra mussels eat phytoplankton that they filter
from the water column. One zebra mussel can filter one quart of water
each day. Now imagine how much water gets filtered by millions of
zebra mussels living in a body of water! This results in much clearer
water. All this filtering may seem like a good thing, but unfortunately
it’s not. You see all the native plants and animals that live in the water
are adapted to the conditions prior to zebra mussels. This means that a
lot of the fish and friends can not survive in very clear water.
Concentrate toxins: also as a result of their crazy filtering, zebra
mussels concentrate toxins, like PCB’s which make people and wildlife
very sick, in their bodies. Typically the toxins are present in the water
in very low concentrations, but when the toxins get filtered by the
zebra mussels they stay in the zebra mussels and because the zebra
mussels filter so much water this results in much higher concentrations
of the toxins. This becomes a problem because other animals that eat
the zebra mussels and get a high dose of poison. At some point all this
poison may even reach humans that eat the fish that ate the fish that
ate the zebra mussel.
For more on zebra mussels:
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/critter/invert/zebramuss
el.htm
Slide 4: Not only are zebra mussels a problem for native species, they
also cause a lot of economic problems. They attach to everything, as
you can see from the shopping cart, buoy, and intake valve pictures
(intake valve picture not from .gov website). This can cause boats to
malfunction and clogged intake valves can cost millions of dollars to
unclog. Plus, there are commercial fisheries that depend on certain
native fish species to harvest and when the zebra mussels clear up the
water the commercial fish may disappear (see previous slide).
Slide 5: #2 (reproduce a lot and quickly) was one of the attributes of
Troubles. Ask students to describe how Tribbles reproduced.
Slide 6: Spock described the enemy escape hypothesis in the Trouble
with Tribbles. See if students can figure out what it is.
Slide 7: There are many pathways by which invasive species arrive; all are
due to some sort of human activity.
Accidental transport: some people think that fire ants hitched a ride
here on potted plants. Ballast water, which is water that ships take on
in their home port for balance and then empty in the destination port,
can contain millions of organisms native to the home port that are being
introduced. Ballast water is a very serious problem, but fortunately
people are looking for ways to avoid dumping all those exotic species in
new harbors. Ballast water is probably how zebra mussels got to the
U.S. For more info see:
http://www.intertanko.com/tankerfacts/environmental/ballast/ballast.
htm
Slide 8: Believe it or not, many invasives have been released on purpose! A
crazy example, is of a guy who lived in New York City in the late 1800’s
that released every bird species ever mentioned in Shakespeare into
Central Park (that’ show the European Starling was introduced). There
were even organizations, called acclimatization societies, whose sole
purpose was to introduce plants and animals from other places. The
European starling, introduced by the over-zealous Shakespeare fan,
out-competes the native bluebird for nesting cavities. As a result of
the starling, bluebird populations declined severely. Fortunately, people
recognized the threat of starlings and starting erecting bluebird boxes
with an entrance that was too small to allow starlings to enter and the
population has rebounded.
Slide 9: These things are not often done now, but there are still examples
of organisms intentionally released. For example, kudzu, a vine native to
Asia, was planted by the government forage crop and to prevent soil
erosion, but now it blankets most of the southeast and is smothering
native vines, trees, and shrubs. It is estimated that kudzu causes
$500 million per year in control costs and damages!
For more info on Kudzu see:
http://www.jjanthony.com/kudzu/
http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/m/s/msk215/Kudzu%20Taxonomy.h
tm
Not only did the government plant kudzu, it actually paid farmers to
plant it too!
Slide 10: Many invasive plants got their start as garden ornamentals. One
such invasive species that started this way was lantana. The problem
with lantana is that it out-competes native lantana. However, I have not
been able to find a way to tell native lantana from invasive lantana.
Therefore, I won’t buy any lantana for my garden (even though
butterflies love it) until I can figure this out - it’s better to be safe
than sorry!
Slide 11: Feral cats kill native songbirds all the time. One rough estimate is
that cats kill hundreds of millions of birds a year.
The yellow-eared slider turtle, pictured in the middle, was introduced
because people released them into the wild when they didn’t want to
care for them anymore. They are now very common in Florida. You can
tell the yellow-eared sliders from native sliders by the yellow behind
their eyes.
Slide 12: see slide
Slide 13: Air potato is a vine that grows very quickly and, like kudzu, can kill
trees and shrubs by completely covering them. Gainesville hosts the
annual great air potato roundup in which volunteers pull air potato
wherever they find it. The potatoes that it produces are not edible.
Air potato is native to Africa and was introduced to the U.S. during the
slave trade.
Slide 14: Control of fire ants. The cost to treat all of the areas invaded by
fire ants with pesticide would cost $6 billion to $12 billion a year
(USDA 2005)! Other solutions include biological control, in which
natural enemies of fire ants from South America are introduced. The
USDA has two biological control organisms for fire ants. The first are
decapitating flies that lay their eggs in the heads of worker ants, which
results in the ants’ head falling off. When the adult flies emerge from
the decapitated heads they go on to infect other fire ants. The second
biological control is a disease that reduces the ants’ reproduction.
Slide 15: Africanized honeybees, also known as killer bees, were
intentionally introduced to Brazil from Africa in the 1950’s to increase
honey production. They have since spread from Brazil to North
America. One problem with Africanized honeybees is that they are
much more aggressive than regular European honeybees and will
aggressively attack anything that comes near their hive. They typically
can only kill someone if they can not get away from them. Another
problem with Africanized bees is that they hybridize with European
bees, resulting in a decrease in the amount of honey produced, which
leads to loss of $$$ for beekeepers. Killer bees are not widespread in
Florida, but there have been a few spottings.
Hydrilla was introduced when someone dumped their aquarium in a
Florida waterway. Now hydrilla is found in almost every waterway in
Florida. It poses a problem because it can completely clog the
lake/river/stream/etc. within two years of arriving. For more info on
hydrilla:
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/lands/invaspec/2ndlevpgs/pdfs/hydrilla.pdf
EXTENSIONS
Students can build a bluebird box with an entrance hole that is large enough
for bluebirds to enter but too small for starlings to enter. A nice lesson
plan for bluebirds can be found at:
http://www2.lhric.org/kat/BLUE.HTM
Instructions for building a bluebird box:
http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/aa010703a.htm
Students can plant a native species garden.
References
Gowaty, P.A. and J.H. Plissner. 1998. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). The
Birds of North America, No 381 (Poole, A and Gill, F., eds), Washington
D.C.: The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists’
Union.
National Research Council. 1996. National Science Education Standards.
Washington D.C.: National Academy Press.
Nature Conservancy. 2003. Stopping the spread: recommendations for
combating Florida’s costly invasives species epidemic.
www.tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/projects/florida.html
Pimental D., L. Lach, R. Zuniga and D. Morrison. 2000. Environmental and
economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States. BioScience
50: 53-65.
Wilcove D., D. Rothstein, J. Dubow, A. Phillips and E. Losos. 1998.
Quantifying threats to imperiled species in the United States.
BioScience 48: 607-615.
SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS
SC.D.1.3.4, SC.D.2.3.2, SC.F.2.3.3, SC.G.1.3.3, SC.G.2.3.2, SC.G.2.3.3,
SC.G.2.3.4
Name: ________________
The Trouble with Invasive Species
1) Introduced species are
2) Invasive species are
3) List two ways invasive species cause problem.
4) Are zebra mussels in Florida?
5) What is the enemy escape hypothesis?
6) How did Kudzu get to Florida?
7) What is the best strategy for dealing with invasive species?
8) What do decapitating flies do to fire ants?
9) Which invasive species that I talked about do you think is the
worst?
Name: ________________
The Trouble with Invasive Species
10) Introduced species are
[Species found outside their native range; Got there with the help of humans;
Populations are growing without human assistance]
11) Invasive species are
[Introduced species that cause economic and ecological damage]
12) List two ways invasive species cause problem.
[They reduce biodiversity and they cause economic damage]
13) Are zebra mussels in Florida?
[No]
14) What is the enemy escape hypothesis?
[Invasives do so well because they don’t have any of their natural enemies here to
control the population]
15) How did Kudzu get to Florida?
[It was planted by the government and farmers for food for livestock and to
prevent soil erosion]
16) What is the best strategy for dealing with invasive species?
[Prevent the invasion]
17) What do decapitating flies do to fire ants?
[They lay their eggs in the heads of worker ants, which results in the ants’ head
falling off. When the adult flies emerge from the decapitated heads they go on to
infect other fire ants.]
18) Which invasive species that I talked about do you think is the worst?
Name: ____________________
The Trouble with Tribbles
1) Why was a Priority 1 Distress Call issued by Space Station K7?
2) Why is the grain on the space station so important?
3) What is a Tribble?
4) Would you like to have a tribble as a pet?
5) What do you get when you feed a Tribble?
6) Why are there so many Tribbles on the Enterprise?
7) What types of problems are the Tribbles causing on the Enterprise?
8) What types of problems are the Tribbles causing on the Spcae Station?
9) Why are the Tribbles in the grain storage units dead?
Name: ____________________
The Trouble with Tribbles
10) Why was a Priority 1 Distress Call issued by Space Station K7?
To guard the storage compartments full of grain from Klingons.
11) Why is the grain on the space station so important?
It is the only strain that will grow on Sherman’s Planet.
12) What is a Tribble?
A small furry animal, being sold as a pet.
13) Would you like to have a tribble as a pet?
Answer varies depending on student.
14) What do you get when you feed a Tribble?
Lots of hungry Tribble babies.
15) Why are there so many Tribbles on the Enterprise?
Because Tribbles reproduce very quickly and because there are not any predators
on the Enterprise to keep the population under control, as is the case in their
native habitat.
16) What types of problems are the Tribbles causing on the Enterprise?
They are getting everywhere – in the ships machinery and in the food
processors.
17) What types of problems are the Tribbles causing on the Spcae Station?
They got into the storage units and ate all the grain.
18) Why are the Tribbles in the grain storage units dead?
Because the grain was poisoned by Mr. Darvin, a Klingon spy.
The Value of Biodiversity and the Trouble with Invasive Species
Created for SPICE by Christine Stracey and La
Monica Malone
March 2005
Lesson 4: Alien Invaders!
KEY QUESTIONS: What are invasive species? Why are they a problem?
What can you do to help? What are some ways that invasive species are
introduced to new places?
SCIENCE SUBJECT: Biology
GRADE LEVEL: 6th-8th Grades
SCIENCE CONCEPTS: Biodiversity, humans’ impact on the environment, how
living things interact with their environment, processes of life.
OVERALL TIME ESTIMATE: One 50 minute class period.
LEARNING STYLES: visual, auditory, kinesthetic.
VOCABULARY:
• Introduced/alien/exotic/non-native species: animals and plants that are
living and reproducing outside their natural range as a result of
human activity.
• Invasive species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing
outside their natural range as a result of human activity and are
causing ecological and economic damage.
• Native species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing in
their natural range.
• Natural/native range: the place where a species occurs on its own, i.e.
humans did not move the species there.
• Predation: when one animal eats another.
• Nestlings: baby birds that are still in the nest.
LESSON SUMMARY: Students play a board game, similar to Life!, about
invasive species. This board game allows students to act as native birds in a
world of introduced species and face the hazards posed by invasive species.
By playing this game students come to understand some of the effects, such
as competition and predation, of invasive species on native species. In
addition, students learn some ways that they can help combat the problem of
invasive species.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
6. define an introduced species.
7. classify common introduced and native species in the area.
(classify)
8. explain why introduced species can be a problem. (biological
hazards, species interactions, human impacts)
9. identify some ways that introduced species are transported to new
areas.
10. identify things they can do to help prevent or alleviate the problem
of introduced species. (ethics, action)
MATERIALS
Per group (2-6 students per group):
Alien Invaders! Board game
Sets of Phase Cards for Phases 1, 2 and 1-3
Bonus Food Cards
A die
2-6 colored pieces for players to move
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
I have developed a game, modeled after the game of Life!, that helps
students to understand how introduced species can affect native species.
This game can be used to teach Science in Personal and Social Perspectives
Content Standard F of the National Science Education Standard (National
Research Council 1996). “Students should understand the risks associated
with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and
volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and
food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites),
social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal
hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking) (National Research Council 1996,
168-169).” In addition, this game introduces students to basic concepts in
ecology, such as competition and predation.
Invasive species, also called introduced and alien species, are those that
have been introduced to an area by humans and whose populations have
grown and spread since their introduction. Invasive species cause an
estimated $137 billion per year in losses in the United States alone
(Pimental et al 2000). (If you stood 137 billion $1 bills end-to-end it would
go from earth to the moon 54 times!) In addition, the effects of invasives
on native species is staggering; of the 958 species listed under the
Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered, approximately 400
are at risk due to invasive species (Wilcove et al 1998). Control of invasive
species is expensive and at times very difficult, therefore the most
effective and least expensive way to control invasions is to prevent them.
Everyday decisions made by ordinary citizens will be critical in the fight
against invasive species.
However, most people do not understand the threat posed by species whose
populations are spreading outside their native or natural range. It is
relatively easy to understand and quantify the economic damage caused by
invasive pests. For example, the introduced zebra mussel clogs intake pipes
and interferes with engine cooling mechanisms of boats. Researchers
estimate that zebra mussels will cost $100 million a year in damage and
control (Pimental et al 2000). Understanding and quantifying the damage
that invasive species cause to our natural ecosystems is much more
difficult. Introduced European starlings and house sparrows are cavity
nesting birds that can out-competes native bluebirds for nesting sites. As a
result of this competition for nesting sites, bluebird populations declined
during the early 1900’s (Gowaty and Plissner 1998). This is an example of a
relatively straightforward negative interaction between native species and
introduced species; however, putting a monetary amount on the decline of
bluebird populations is challenging. (Fortunately, people recognized the
threat of starlings and starting erecting bluebird boxes with an entrance
that was too small to allow starlings to enter and the population has
rebounded.) This board game allows students to act as native birds in a
world of introduced species and face the hazards posed by invasive species.
By playing this game students come to understand some of the effects, such
as competition and predation, of invasive species on native species.
Overview of Game
There are three Phases of this game: Find a nest, Raise a family, and Survive
the winter (Fig. 1). Each Phase must be completed, in order, before moving
on to the next Phase. The object of the game is to complete all three
Phases, which is one year in a native bird’s life. Whichever student
completes the three Phases first wins the game. Students roll a die and
advance that number of spaces on the board. When a student lands on a
space that says ‘Draw a Card’ the student draws a Phase Card from the pile
in the appropriate Phase and follows the directions on the Card (See Phase
Cards). Most Cards have negative impacts of introduced species on them,
however a few Cards also show some benefits of introduced species. There
are also bonus spaces and penalty spaces. Bonus spaces represent actions
that people can take to help with the problem of introduced species and
penalty spaces represent actions that contribute to the problem of
introduced species. When a student lands on a bonus space they are
rewarded with a Bonus Food Card. Bonus Food Cards can be used anytime
they draw a Phase Card that penalizes them for not finding food. By turning
in their Bonus Food Card the student can avoid having to go back to the
beginning of the Phase that they are currently playing. Tell students to be
aware of the negative impacts as well as the positive impacts of introduced
species and things that they can do to help prevent or alleviate the problem
of invasive species. Students should also think about actions that contribute
to the problem of invasive species. After playing the game students will
have a better understanding of the hardships imposed on native species by
introduced species.
ADVANCE PREPARATION
Prior to playing the game students should be familiar with the following
terms: invasive species, introduced species, native species, nestlings.
Set up of board game:
The board game can be made on construction paper and laminated. The
three different types of Phase Cards and the Bonus Food Cards can be made
with different colored paper and Phase Card or Food Card should be written
on the back so students can easily separate them into the correct piles.
There are Phase Cards specific to Phase 1 only and Phase 2 only, then there
are a set of Cards that should be added to all three Phases (Phase 1-3
Cards). The Phase 3 pile of Cards will consist only of Phase 1-3 Cards. The
pile for Phase 1 Cards will be made up of Phase 1 Cards plus Phase 1-3 Cards.
The pile for Phase 2 Cards will be made up of Phase 2 Cards plus Phase 1-3
Cards. Each Phase on the board can be colored to match the Phase Cards to
help student remember which phase they are playing. The names of
introduced species on the cards can be changed to reflect invasive species in
your region. The examples provided are relevant for the Southeast. I also
suggest putting pictures of the invasive species on the card to help students
recognize the organism.
PROCEDURE
Explain the rules of the game and demonstrate a few turns for the whole
class. Once students understand the rules of the game divide the class into
groups of 2-6 students and hand out game materials and allow students to
play the game.
After students play the game have a class discussion about their
experiences as native birds. The following are suggested discussion
questions:
1. What are some negative affects of invasive species? [They
can: eat native species, out-compete native species, make
native species sick, destroy/damage crops.]
2. What are some positive affects of invasive species? [They can: provide
food for native species, provide habitat]
3. Do the benefits outweigh the costs? [In general the answer is no,
however, not all species that are introduced cause damage.
Therefore the species that are not causing economic or ecological
damage are not usually viewed as a problem (although there is always
the risk that later those species could become a problem too). Most
scientists do not argue for a ban on all species that are not native to
a region, but they do argue for bans on species that are known to
cause problems.]
4. What are some things that you can do to help control or prevent
invasive species from becoming established? [Do not release
unwanted pets into the wild, do not plant invasive species,
participate in invasive removal projects, do not smuggle plants in
from other regions.]
5. What are some ways that invasive species are introduced? [People
releasing unwanted pets, people smuggling things into the country,
invasive seeds can be transported on muddy boots, ballast water (for
more information on ballast water see:
http://www.intertanko.com/tankerfacts/environmental/ballast/balla
st.htm), purposeful introductions by humans, for example
acclimatization societies (for more information see:
http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/per/spar.htm).]
EXTENSIONS
Have students choose an invasive species of their choice and research it.
They can explore the economic and ecological impacts of the species, where
it originally came from, how it was introduced, and what, if any, control
measures are currently being taken. The following are good websites that
students can use:
http://www.invasivespecies.gov/profiles/main.shtml
http://invasions.bio.utk.edu/invaders/index.htm l
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/education/stowawayskidspages/ki
dsinfo.asp
http://www.issg.org/database/species/search.asp?st=100ss&fr=1&sts
REFERENCES
Gowaty, P.A. and J.H. Plissner. 1998. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). The
Birds of North America, No 381 (Poole, A and Gill, F., eds), Washington
D.C.: The Academy of Natural Sciences and the American Ornithologists’
Union.
National Research Council. 1996. National Science Education Standards.
Washington D.C.: National Academy Press.
Pimental D., L. Lach, R. Zuniga and D. Morrison. 2000. Environmental and
economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States. BioScience
50: 53-65.
Wilcove D., D. Rothstein, J. Dubow, A. Phillips and E. Losos. 1998.
Quantifying threats to imperiled species in the United States.
BioScience 48: 607-615.
SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS
SC.D.1.3.4, SC.D.2.3.2, SC.F.2.3.3, SC.G.1.3.3, SC.G.2.3.2, SC.G.2.3.3,
SC.G.2.3.4
The Value of Biodiversity and the Trouble with Invasive Species
Created for SPICE by Christine Stracey and LaMonica
Malone
March 2005
Lesson 5: Natives vs. Invasives
KEY QUESTIONS: What are invasive species? Why are they a problem?
What can you do to help? What are some ways that invasive species are
introduced to new places?
SCIENCE SUBJECT: Biology
GRADE LEVEL: 6th-8th Grades
SCIENCE CONCEPTS: Biodiversity, humans’ impact on the environment, how
living things interact with their environment, processes of life.
OVERALL TIME ESTIMATE: One 50 minute class period to set up
experiment, then 15 minute weekly measurements of plants’ growth.
LEARNING STYLES: visual, auditory, kinesthetic.
VOCABULARY:
• Introduced/alien/exotic/non-native species: animals and plants that are
living and reproducing outside their natural range as a result of human
activity.
• Invasive species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing
outside their natural range as a result of human activity and are
causing ecological and economic damage.
• Native species: animals and plants that are living and reproducing in their
natural range.
• Natural/native range: the place where a species occurs on its own, i.e.
humans did not move the species there.
LESSON SUMMARY: Students do a lab in which they measure which grows
faster, a native species or an invasive species.
STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
The student will be able to:
11. define an introduced species.
12. explain why some invasive species are so successful.
13. identify some ways that introduced species are transported to new
areas.
MATERIALS
Per group (2-4 students):
Dixie cup
Enough potting soil to fill Dixie cup
Seeds from an invasive species (lantana) and native species (coreopsis)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Invasive species, also called introduced and alien species, are those that
have been introduced to an area by humans and whose populations have
grown and spread since their introduction. Invasive species cause an
estimated $137 billion per year in losses in the United States alone
(Pimental et al 2000). (If you stood 137 billion $1 bills end-to-end it would
go from earth to the moon 54 times!) In addition, the effects of invasives
on native species are staggering; of the 958 species listed under the
Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered, approximately 400
are at risk due to invasive species (Wilcove et al 1998). Control of invasive
species is expensive and at times very difficult, therefore the most
effective and least expensive way to control invasions is to prevent them.
Everyday decisions made by ordinary citizens will be critical in the fight
against invasive species.
A significant amount of research has gone into attempting to figure out
characteristics of good invaders and the factors that allow certain species
to become invasive so that scientists can predict which species will become
invasive. In general, high reproductive rates, high competitive ability, and
fast growth rates characterize invasive species. However, not all species
with the above characteristics are invasive and therefore scientists still
have a very limited ability to make predictions about which species will
become invasive.
ADVANCE PREPARATION
Copy the data sheets for each student. Obtain seeds of a native or noninvasive plant and seeds of an invasive plant. Obtain enough dixie cups and
potting soil for each group.
PROCEDURE
1. Review with students what invasive species are and ask the class to give
you some examples of invasive species. Discuss some of the problems
associated with invasive species and some things they can do to help
prevent the establishment of invasive species. Next review with the
students the characteristics of successful invaders, for example fast
growth rates, high reproductive rates, and good competitive ability.
2. Explain to the students that they will be conducting an experiment to
test these characteristics of invasive species. Explain that they will
be growing seeds from an invasive species and a non-invasive species
under the same conditions. Ask the students to predict which plants
they think will grow the fastest. Have them record their prediction
or hypothesis on the data sheet.
3. Next have the students help design an experiment to test their
hypothesis. Have them identify and record dependent (invasive or
non-invasive) and independent (i.e. plant height) variables. Discuss and
list what other factors need to be controlled (light, water, soil,
number of seeds per container, position in the classroom of cups, etc).
4. Divide the class into groups of 2-4 students. Provide each group with
one dixie cup, three seeds of the invasive plant, and three seeds of
the non-invasive plant. Have students plant the seeds in the dixie and
label the side of the cup with native or invasive so they can identify
the seedlings. Have the students add a fixed amount of water to
their cup and place their cup on the windowsill. Optional: different
groups can try to grow the plants with different amounts of water
and/or sunlight and to determine if that makes a difference in which
plant “wins”.
5. Have the students water and rotate their cup every other day. At
weekly intervals measure the height of plants in the cup and record it
on their data table.
6. After a few weeks make a class graph of the growth of the plants. For
the graph take the average height of the all the invasive plants and
the average height of all the non-invasive plants on each day. Graph
the average height for each day. Do the data support their
hypothesis? Why or why not. Have the students draw a conclusion on
their worksheet.
7. At the end of the experiment be sure to get rid of the invasive plants in
a manner to ensure they can not become established!
REFERENCES
Pimental D., L. Lach, R. Zuniga and D. Morrison. 2000. Environmental and
economic costs of nonindigenous species in the United States. BioScience
50: 53-65.
Wilcove D., D. Rothstein, J. Dubow, A. Phillips and E. Losos. 1998.
Quantifying threats to imperiled species in the United States.
BioScience 48: 607-615.
Lantana seeds can be purchased at:http://www.tropilab.com/lantan-cam.html
Coreopsis seeds can be purchased at:
http://www.yankeeharvest.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD
&Product_Code=HSF6024
SUNSHINE STATE STANDARDS
SC.D.1.3.4, SC.D.2.3.2, SC.F.2.3.3, SC.G.1.3.3, SC.G.2.3.2, SC.G.2.3.3,
SC.G.2.3.4
Name: _____________________
Group #: ____________
Prediction/Hypothesis:
Independent Variable: _____________________
Dependent Variable: _______________________
Other factors to control:
Data Table
# Days since planting Height of invasive plants
(cm)
Plant #1 Plant #2 Plant #3
Height of non-invasive plants
(cm)
Plant #1 Plant #2
Plant #3
Name: ____________________ Group #: __________ Summary Data Table # Days since
planting
Average height of invasive
plant
Graph
Conclusion:
Average height of non-invasive
plant
Rules:
Goal:
You are a native bird and your goal is to raise a family and live for one year.
There are three Phases to the game: Find a nest, Raise a family, and Survive the
winter. You must complete each Phase before you can move on to the next Phase.
Whoever finishes the three Phases first wins! However, there are lots of alien
invaders (invasive species) that you must contend with to reach the Finish!
How to Play:
1. Open the board. Shuffle the three sets of Phase Cards and place them in the
appropriate place on the board. Set the Bonus Food Cards aside.
2. Each player chooses a colored marker and places it on the Start Phase 1 space.
3. Roll the die and whoever has the highest roll goes first.
4. Each player rolls the die when it is their turn and moves their marker the
number of spaces of the die roll. Follow the directions of the space on which
you land.
‘Draw a Card’ spaces:
When you land on these spaces, draw a Phase Card from the pile for the
Phase that you are playing. Follow the instructions on the card. If the card
tells you to move on to the next Phase, place you marker on the Start space for
the next Phase. If the card tells you to go back to the beginning of the Phase
you are playing, then move your marker to the Start space for that Phase.
Bonus Food Cards:
When you land on certain spaces you get rewarded with a Bonus Food
Card. These cards allow you to avoid having to move your marker back to the
Start Phase space when you draw a Phase Card that penalizes you for not
finding food. Just turn the Bonus Food Card in and leave your marker where it
is.
5. Whichever player reaches the Finish first wins the game! You do not need to
roll the exact number to get into the Finish space.
Phase 1 Cards
Phase 2 Cards
You find a good location for a
nest, but an introduced
European Starling already
occupies the site. Go back to
Start Phase 1.
An introduced rat eats your
eggs.
Go back to Start
Phase 1.
Congratulations,
you
successfully find a good
location for a nest in a native
shrub. Move on to the next
phase.
An introduced snake eats
your eggs. Go back to Start
Phase 1.
Congratulations,
you
successfully find a good
location for a nest in an
introduced shrub. Move on to
the next phase.
A house cat (which is
considered an introduced
species) that is outside eats
you while you are sitting on
your nest. Go back to Start
Phase 1.
Your community holds a
kudzu (an introduced vine)
removal project and gets rid
of kudzu in your area. This
frees up nesting sites and
you find a nest site! Move on
to the next phase.
While getting food for your
nestlings
(babies)
an
introduced rat eats your
nestlings. Go back to Start
Phase 1.
Phase 1-3 Cards
A house cat that is outside
kills you while you are eating
at a bird feeder. Go back to
Start Phase 1.
You come across a swarm of
introduced mosquitoes and
have a feast.
You find a birdfeeder for
dinner, but you can not eat
there because it is full with
introduced pigeons. Go back
to the beginning of this Phase
or turn in a Bonus Food Card.
You
find
a
patch
of
introduced Brazilian pepper
berries.
No other native
plants have berries at this
time. You eat the introduced
berries and are full.
You get bit by an introduced
mosquito that is carrying
West Nile Virus (West Nile
Virus is not native to North
America). You get West Nile
and get sick. Go back to the
beginning of this Phase.
You are looking for food, but
you can not find any because
introduced
Old
World
climbing fern has choked all
the native berries you used to
eat.
Go back to the
beginning of this Phase or
turn in a Bonus Food Card.
You get bit by an introduced
mosquito that is carrying
West Nile Virus (West Nile
Virus is not native to North
America). You get West Nile
and die. Go back to Start
Phase 1.
Bonus Food Cards
Bonus Food Card
Turn this card in if you can’t
find food so that you do not
have to go back to the
beginning of your Phase.