Biodiversity and Jacumba Middle School

Let’s get started being scientists!

http://genomicenterprise.com/blog/2012/11/28/kids-doing-grown-ups-science-the-blackawton-bees-project/

http://www.treknature.com/gallery/photo160544.htm

Warm Up

1.What does the prefix “bio” mean?

2.What does the word “diverse” mean?

3.What is one example that makes birds diverse from each other?

4.What is one example of a food chain that includes a bird?

5.How do birds benefit humans?

Quiet please, no talking during the warm up! Thanks.

http://www.facingthefuture.org/Curriculum/Graphics/tabid/189/Default.aspx

http://www.facingthefuture.org/Curriculum/Graphics/tabid/189/Default.aspx

“The diversity of life forms, so numerous that we have yet to identify most of them, is the greatest wonder of this planet.”

Edward O. Wilson, Biologist

http://mrbarlow.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/a-decrease-in-biodiversity-causes-an-increases-in-disease/

Biodiversity protects ecosystems against infectious diseases, researchers have concluded. The finding suggests that loss of species from an environment could have dangerous consequences for the spread and incidence of infections, including those that affect humans.

http://mrbarlow.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/a-decrease-in-biodiversity-causes-an-increases-in-disease/ http://www.biodiversitytrail.org/

http://positivepress.in/media/?p=1822

Key Words:

Earth

Plants

Animals

People

Energy

With a partner create a word web.

1.Pick one key word from the list.

2.Create a web using as many of these words as possible.

3.Use words to describe the connections between the words, e.g., influences, affects, benefits, is helped by, can lead to, and can cause.

4.Use drawing paper and colored pencils.

Here is one to use as an example.

Day 2 Warm Up

1.What is one problem with a growing global population and natural environments?

2.What are non-renewable resources?

3.What must be done to replace these resources?

4.Why does global thinking make sense?

5.What global issues require consideration from every person on this planet?

http://wiki.urbanedibles.org/index.php?title=Identification

Leaf shape helps scientists to identify plants.

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/Topicpages/plantsystems.cfm

Leaf Shape

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/simplecompound.jpg

Simple vs. Compound

Leaf Veins

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/leafveins.jpg

Leaf Arrangement on Stem

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/leafposition.jpg

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/tendril.jpg

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/stomate.jpg

Stomata

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/leafxsection.jpg

Internal Leaf Anatomy

In vascular plants, phloem is the living tissue that carries organic nutrients, particularly sucrose, a sugar, to all parts of the plant where needed.

Xylem conducts water and dissolved minerals from the roots to all the other parts of the plant.

http://cropsci.illinois.edu/classes/cpsc112/images/PlantSystems/dicotleaf.jpg

External Leaf Anatomy

Your assignment for today:

Search and find four different types

of leaves.

Return to the classroom and sketch them in

your sketchbook or on sketch

paper.

Label as much as you can.

Record the time, date, and location of your collection.

The Chinese Guizhou Golden Monkey,

Our Middle School, and Our Local

Community

And a Look at Biodiversity

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/22Scenery59.html

英文名学　名

Jacumba Middle School 6th and 7th grade students are going to create a teaching website about our school and lake environment. We will be observing and recording as much as we can about the flora and fauna from this area. Sixth grade you will study the natural history of the area, and all things Earth Science. Seventh grade, you will study all living things, flora and fauna. Together we will look at the connections between it all.

To understand our project let’s first look at another small ecosystem that we will also be studying this year.

Jacumba, CA 91934

Notice the biotic and abiotic factors found in this picture.

I wonder if they

noticed me?

Or me?

I hope they don’t

see me!

Jacumba Bull Frog, June 11, 2013, 3:00 pm

Cattails

Cattails, June 11, 2013, 3:00 pm

TyphaTypha is a genus of about eleven species of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the family Typhaceae. The genus has a largely Northern Hemisphere distribution, but is essentially cosmopolitan, being found in a variety of wetland habitats. Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha

Cattails, June 11, 2013, 3:00 pm

Observatio

n!

Let’s have a look at a special place in China.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Boy-with-binoculars.png

Guizhou Golden Monkeys are found on Fanjingshan

Mountain in Guizhou Province.


http://geography.sdsu.edu/Research/Projects/GoldenMonkey/Project_Details/details.html

This species is endemic to a small

region of Guizhou Province southern

China (in Jiangkou, Songtao, and

Yingjiang counties). It is confined to a small,

continuous block of habitat centering on

Fanjing Mountain, south of the Yangtze

in the Wuling Mountains (Bleisch et al. 1993;

Bleisch and Xie 1994; Groves 2001).

We are going to call this the

FNNR

Golden Monkeys

mainly live in

trees, but they also seek food

on the ground.


http://english.cntv.cn/program/storyboard/20100725/101777.shtml

Study species: Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus

brelichi)

Their main food includes tree leaves, tender branches, flowers, fruits, bark, roots, insects, birds, and bird eggs.


Please copy the upcoming vocabulary words into your science journal.

Isn’t this one berry cute?


Vocabulary – It is folivorous (folivore: eats foliage; includes arboreal folivores—animals whose diet consists largely of tree foliage), (but as we also said, it consumes leaf buds, flower buds, fruits, seeds, bark, and insect larvae).http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0


http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0

The Golden Monkey, which is the focal point of the project, is endangered, and serves as a

symbol of conservation for China. In addition, the

well-being of the monkey

population is an indicator of

the overall health of

ecosystems, says Dr. An of

SDSU, the principal

investigator.http://hanyu.iciba.com/wiki/131536.shtml

This species is found in forests of mixed–deciduous and evergreen broadleaf and deciduous broadleaf trees at elevations between 1,400 and 2,300 m. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0

http://geography.sdsu.edu/Research/Projects/GoldenMonkey/Photo_Gallery/photos.html

1 m is equivalent to 1.0936 yards, 39.370 inches, and 1ft = 0.30480m

So, 1,400m = 4,593ft 27⁄64in., and 2,300m = 7,545ft 113⁄16in.Or we could round and say between 4,600 and 7,500 feet.

Jacumba Middle School elevation: 2,829 feet ASLBoulevard: 3,638 feet ASL

However, at times of heavy

snow cover, they may be recorded at

lower elevations

(as low as 570 m. ≈ 1871 ft.), as individuals move down to

the rivers.

http://ghsdawgs.com/life/laurenweldy/goldenmonkey.html http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0


Guizhou Snub-Nosed MonkeysRestricted distribution

Occurs in evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forests at altitudes of 4500–7500 ft. in FNNR

Most recent estimates are <800 individuals

Feed mainly on young leaves and flowers, fruits and seeds, and mature leaves and buds in winter

Photo Credit: Department of Geography, SDSUDr. Rebecca Lewison & Jennifer Feltner Biology Department SDSU

Guizhou Snub-Nosed Monkeys

Social Organization: Family groups of 5-10 individuals with one adult male. Many family groups range together in larger, semi-cohesive (half-causing items to stick together) bands. The bands may split up or coalesce (come together) temporarily to form aggregations of over 400 animals.

Photo Credit: Department of Geography, SDSU

Dr. Rebecca Lewison & Jennifer Feltner Biology Department SDSU

They are diurnal (plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night).

http://www.animalinfo.org/image/pygabrel2%2065.jpg http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0

http://www.animalinfo.org/image/pygabrel2%2065.jpg


They are semi-terrestrial (living mostly on land but requiring a

moist environment or nearby water, especially as a breeding site).


http://www.madmonkeyknits.com/gilbert-the-golden-monkey-goes-to-china/

They are semi-terrestrial, yet more arboreal (adapted for living and moving about in trees) as they only come to the ground when there is an absence of appropriate trees. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0

http://dornsife.usc.edu/labs/stanford/research/behavioralecology.cfm


The birth season for this species is from April to May. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0

http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/22Scenery59.html http://english.people.com.cn/200604/05/eng20060405_256164.html



http://english.people.com.cn/200604/05/eng20060405_256164.html

The social structure is based on one-male groups which travel and rest together in large cohesive (stick togetherish) bands composed

of up to 400 individuals or more. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19595/0


The golden snub-nosed monkey is found in the protected Fanjingshan Nature Reserve. It is listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that international trade in this species is permitted only in exceptional circumstances. The species is also listed as Category I under the Chinese Wildlife Protection Act of 1989. http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation

http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation

Camera Trapping Most primate species are studied using direct observations

Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys are shy and vigilant. Direct observations of this species are further hampered by the harsh physical and climatic conditions, e.g. fog

Use camera traps as one of our survey methods to monitor both monkeys and human activity at different sites within FNNR

Very effective tool for studies of wildlife populations, as they do not require direct observation or physically capturing animals

Camera has motion or an infrared sensor which triggered

when a person or an animal moves into the field of view. We will attach the cameras to

trees at varying heights to capture both monkey and human activity. Cameras operate remotely 24/7.

Photo Credit: WWF-Malaysia / Raymond Alfred


FNNR /The PeopleThere are about 50

villages and over 20,000 local people living in and around the reserve.Traditionally, local residents grow subsistence crops like rice, corn, and potatoes, herd livestock, and trade at local markets in order to meet their daily needs.

Many are ethnic minorities such as Tujia and Miao.

Photo Credit: China Daily/Mu Xiangdong

Photo by Steven Allison

Photo Credit: ChinaTourGuide.com

Basic concepts in conservation

ecology:BiodiversityHabitatEcosystemsFood WebsEndangered Species/HIPPCO (see next slide)

Photo by Xi Zhinong


H abitat Destruction, Degradation, FragmentationI nvasive speciesP ollutionP opulation growth (human)C limate changeO ver-exploitation

What threatens species persistence?

http://alishasroleplay.wikia.com/wiki/File:Animated_monkey_3.gif Dr. Rebecca Lewison & Jennifer Feltner Biology Department SDSU

http://alishasroleplay.wikia.com/wiki/File:Animated_monkey_3.gif

One of the most urgent conservation actions needed for the snub-nosed monkey is to reduce the threats in and around the reserve. This is likely to require measures to improve the living standards of local people and to introduce sustainable livelihoods, as well as to carry out education programs and control illegal poaching. It will also be important to work with local communities to limit any collection of Magnolia sprengeri, as this plant provides a vital food source for the golden snub-nosed monkey. http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation http://davisla.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/plant-of-the-week-magnolia-sprengeri-diva /


http://davisla.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/plant-of-the-week-magnolia-sprengeri-diva%20/

Why is the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey endangered?

Grey snub-nosed monkey status:The grey snub-nosed monkey is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List (1) and is listed on Appendix I of CITES (4). http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation

(1)IUCN Red List (December, 2012) http://www.iucnredlist.org/

(4) CITES (December, 2012) http://www.cites.org/

http://www.nessgardens.org.uk/media/34495/magnolia_sprengeri__diva__w688_sl2.jpg

http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#ref1

http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#ref4


http://www.iucnredlist.org/

http://www.cites.org/

Guizhou Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey Threats

One of the major threats to the snub-nosed monkey is accidental injury or death caused by non-targeted hunting. For example, this species may be caught in snares that were set for other animals.

Like other Rhinopithecus species, the snub-nosed monkey has also been hunted for food and traditional medicine, and local people are often unaware of the laws protecting these species. http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation

http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/progressive-backyard-surviva.htm


http://www.tacticalintelligence.net/blog/progressive-backyard-surviva.htm

Injury or Death From Non-Targeted Poaching• Before FNNR was founded,

humans were likely the primary predators of Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys

• Although protected, monkeys have been killed by local residents unaware of their protection status, usually when monkeys roam out of the reserve

• Hunting is banned in FNNR, but illegal poaching still occurs for deer, serow, wild boar, masked palm civet, black bear, and badger

• Monkeys have been killed or lost limbs from being caught in snares or leg hold traps intended for other species

Photo Credit: IFAW Africa


Disturbance and Potential Competition with Humans for Food

Most human activities within FNNR present an indirect threat to Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys

Unlike most primate species, monkeys are very shy and wary of humans.

Will not use areas where human activities regularly occur further reducing the habitat available to them

Contact with humans may put monkeys at risk for human diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, and measles

In late winter, the monkeys are heavily dependent on Magnolia buds for food. Buds and bark of Magnolia trees are a traditional Chinese medicine with high economic value. Local people habitually collect the buds or even cut down whole trees to remove the bark for sale.

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Other VulnerabilitiesA slow life history and low

reproductive rate:– Females do not sexually

mature until age 8 or 9– The time between births

is about 3 yearsGuizhou snub-nosed monkeys have very low genetic diversity:

– Could lead to lowered immunity, amongst other health problems

– Unlike the other Chinese snub-nosed species, there is only one population of Guizhou snub-nosed monkeys, so genetic exchange, which allows for increased genetic diversity and enhanced species survival, is impossible

All of these factors combined with the species small population size and small range increase the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey’s vulnerability to disease outbreaks, catastrophes such as forest fires, climate oscillations, and other environmental changes, events from which the species may not be able to recover.

Photo Credit: Lin Yiguang


Guizhou Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey Threats:

Habitat degradation such as firewood collection, charcoal production and illegal strip mining are reducing the habitat of the golden snub-nosed monkey. Construction and other development due to the increase in tourism, such as tourist roads, cable cars, and hotels, are also potential disturbances and pose the additional threat of habitat destruction. The golden snub-nosed monkey is shy of humans and will not usually use habitats where regular human activity occurs. Collection of magnolia flower buds and bark by local people was also previously a threat to this monkey, as it removed an important food source, but this practice is now thought to have ceased. http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation



Since the golden snub-nosed monkey is endemic (Native to or confined to a certain region) to just one small area, it is particularly vulnerable to epidemic diseases (see next slide) or environmental catastrophes. Its population is also perilously small, with only an estimated 750 individuals counted in 2007 to 2008, of which fewer than 400 individuals may be mature adults.

http://www.arkive.org/grey-snub-nosed-monkey/rhinopithecus-brelichi/#conservation, http://geography.sdsu.edu/Research/Projects/GoldenMonkey/Project_Details/details.html






Since the golden snub-nosed monkey is endemic to just one small area, it is particularly vulnerable to epidemic diseases or environmental catastrophes.

An epidemic (from epi, meaning "upon or above" and demos, meaning "people") occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience. Epidemiologists often consider the term outbreak to be synonymous to epidemic, but the general public typically perceives outbreaks to be more local and less serious than epidemics. Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by a change in the ecology of the host population (e.g. increased stress or increase in the density of a vector species), a genetic change in the parasite population or the introduction of a new parasite to a host population (by movement of parasites or hosts).

Continued Habitat Loss and DegradationEven with protection, local residents still exploit forest resources for traditional activities.

Firewood/charcoal production for heating

Timber for buildingMedicinal plant

extraction Illegal mining

Economic development and tourism are increasing:

Construction projects related to development and tourism

These activities affect Guizhou snub-nosed monkey habitat:

Firewood extraction reduces cover

Timber extraction thins the canopy. The monkeys spend 80% of their time in trees and rely on a dense canopy for protection from predators at sleeping sites

Illegal strip mining known to occur in FNNR’s core habitat for the monkeys

New construction can impair habitat and may increase disturbance

Dr.

Rebe

cca

Lew

ison

& Je

nnife

r Fel

tner

Bio

logy

Dep

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ent S

DSU

Here in Jacumba Middle School – As we watch what the San Diego State

University (SDSU) researchers are doing as they continue to study the illegal mining effects on golden monkey habitat, and focus on the convergence of the two contemporary environmental issues of biodiversity loss and mining impacts.

http://www.templates.com/blog/?s=biodiversity

Biodiversity loss is a major environmental concern in contemporary society and science. Although extinction has occurred in the past, the current rate of loss is 100-1,000 times higher than before human activity.

1. How does the behavioral, habitat, and conservation ecology of the endangered Golden Snub-Nose Monkey (in relation to human activities within FNNR) mean to us in Jacumba?

2. How can we relate that to our lake studies?

I hope no one

can see me!

Dr. Rebecca Lewison & Jennifer Feltner Biology Department SDSU Picture by Mrs. Morris

Let’s have a little vocabulary building! Please copy these vocabulary words into your science journal. Feel free to add any vocabulary words that you are not real comfortable with yet!

Ecology (from Greek: "house“ and "study of") is the scientific study of interactions among organisms and their environment, organisms have with each other, and with their abiotic environment. Topics of interest to ecologists include the diversity, distribution, amount (biomass), number (population) of organisms, as well as competition between them within and among ecosystems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/

Vocabulary -

Behavioral ecology is the study of the evolutionary basis for animal behavior due to ecological pressures.

Habitat ecology is the study of the area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives. A habitat is made up of physical factors such as soil, moisture, range of temperature, and availability of light as well as biotic factors such as the availability of food and the presence of predators. A habitat is not necessarily a geographic area—for a parasitic organism it is the body of its host or even a cell within the host's body.


Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an interdisciplinary subject drawing on sciences, economics, and the practice of natural resource management.


Other questions we will be thinking and writing on are-

3. How do human activities effect the Golden monkeys?

4. How do human activities effect our lake?

The next step in our lesson is to visit our lake. We will walk over and collect examples of the plants that we find, press them, label them, and display them. We will do this once a month in order to observe the changes as the seasons move along. http://www.treehugger.com/renewable-energy/cutting-cattails-for-fuel-north-carolina-researchers-investigate-potential-ethanol-

feedstock.html

Given the strong habitat sensitivity of the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey, their occurrence (or absence) may be a direct indicator of habitat conditions and ecosystem health.

Talk with your neighbor for two minutes about what those habitat sensitivities are.

5. What flora and fauna (plants and animals) do you think might be the most sensitive in our lake environment?


6. Make a list with a neighbor of all the flora and fauna that we have seen up to this time at our lake. Now, with the whole class, let’s make our list as complete as possible.

Are there any that seem out of place to you?

Next go to http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Understanding-Biodiversity/ and download the book called Biodiversity.

http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Understanding-Biodiversity/

http://www.ck12.org/book/CK-12-Understanding-Biodiversity/

On page 7 of that text you will find this –

The Encyclopedia of Life

(EOL; http://www.eol.org/ , and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NwfGA4cxJQ )

It’s a free, online collaborative encyclopedia intended to document all of the 1.9+ million living species known to science. It is aggregated or compiled from existing scientific databases, and from contributions by experts and non-experts world-wide. Its goal is to build one “infinitely expandable” page for each species, including videos, sound, images, graphics, and text.

Check them out!

http://www.eol.org/

http://www.eol.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NwfGA4cxJQ



We will be using the CK-12 book as a guide and create a Biodiversity book of your own. Our book will document the community of Jacumba where our campus is located. Since our school has students from Jacumba and Boulevard we will also do a Boulevard section for those of you who wish to include flora and fauna from home. During class though, we are only able to visit our campus and the lake areas.

We will also be involved in a phenology project. Check this out at http://budburst.org/ Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and inter-annual variations in climate, as well as habitat factors (such as elevation). The word is derived from the Greek "to show, to bring to light, make to appear", and "study, discourse, reasoning" and indicates that phenology has been principally concerned with the dates of first occurrence of biological events in their annual cycle. Examples include the date of emergence of leaves and flowers, the first flight of butterflies and the first appearance of migratory birds, the date of leaf coloring and fall in deciduous trees, the dates of egg-laying of birds and amphibians, or the timing of the developmental cycles of temperate-zone honey bee colonies. In the scientific literature on ecology, the term is used more generally to indicate the time frame for any seasonal biological phenomena, including the dates of last appearance (e.g., the seasonal phenology of a species may be from April through September).

http://budburst.org/

This will be a year-long, whole school project.

We will be looking at what the researchers are learning in China. We will be discussing a payment system used to keep people out of the preserve and what you think about it and how it works.

We will be collecting plants to press and display in our classroom and the public library.

We will be building our own online community biodiversity book with a collection of pictures and videos.

We will be hosting a radio show and sharing our classroom activities.

You are to come up with additional vocabulary words for this biodiversity project. I have a PowerPoint on our class website that you should add slides to containing the new words and in the same fashion as I have begun.

How many does she want?

The following pages can be printed as handouts, six slides to a page, cut apart and used to play a vocabulary game the same way concentration is played.

Six slides, one after the other, can be created to make the backs of the “cards”. Make sure the last slide number is a multiple of six!

These should be laminated, or run back to back on card stock, so they will last.

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

The Biodive

rsity

Project

Ecology

The scientific study of interactions among organisms and their

environment, organisms have with each other, and with their abiotic environment. Topics of interest to ecologists include the diversity, distribution, amount (biomass),

number (population) of organisms, as well as competition between

them within and among ecosystems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Behavioral Ecology

The study of the evolutionary basis for

animal behavior due to ecological pressures.


Habitat Ecology

The study of the area or natural environment in which an organism or population normally lives. A habitat is

made up of physical factors such as soil, moisture, range of temperature, and

availability of light as well as biotic factors such as the availability of food and the presence of predators. A habitat is not necessarily a geographic area—for a parasitic organism it is the body of its

host or even a cell within the host's body.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Conservation Biology

The scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity

with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an interdisciplinary subject drawing on

sciences, economics, and the practice of natural resource

management.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Flora and Fauna

Fauna is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora. Flora, fauna and other forms of life such

as fungi are collectively referred to as biota.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer

to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert

fauna" or the "Burgess Shale fauna".Paleontologists sometimes refer to a sequence of

faunal stages, which is a series of rocks all containing similar fossils.


Phenology

The study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and inter-annual variations in

climate, as well as habitat factors (such as elevation). The word is derived from the Greek "to show, to bring to light, make

to appear", amongst others "study, discourse, reasoning" and indicates that phenology has been principally concerned with the dates of first occurrence of biological events in their annual cycle.

Examples include the date of emergence of leaves and flowers, the first flight of butterflies and the first appearance of migratory birds,

the date of leaf coloring and fall in deciduous trees, the dates of egg-laying of birds and amphibians, or the timing of the developmental

cycles of temperate-zone honey bee colonies. In the scientific literature on ecology, the term is used more generally to indicate the

time frame for any seasonal biological phenomena, including the dates of last appearance (e.g., the seasonal phenology of a species

may be from April through September).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Folivorous

Folivore: eats foliage; includes arboreal folivores—animals whose diet consists

largely of tree foliage.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Biodiversity

The degree of variation of life forms within a given

species, ecosystem, biome, or planet.


Diurnal

A plant or animal behavior characterized by activity

during the day and sleeping at night.


Semi-terrestrial

Living mostly on land but requiring a moist

environment or nearby water, especially as a

breeding site.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Arboreal

Adapted for living and moving about in trees.


Endemic

Native to or confined to a certain region.


Epidemic

An epidemic (from epi, meaning "upon or above" and demos, meaning "people") occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience. Epidemiologists

often consider the term outbreak to be synonymous to epidemic, but the general public typically perceives outbreaks to be

more local and less serious than epidemics. Epidemics of infectious disease are generally caused by a change in the ecology of the host

population.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Education

Biodiversity and Jacumba Middle School