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Thursday 3/27 - ER Invasive Species

Last updated 14 days ago
10 questions
Invasive Species - Florida Everglades
1

Ms. Tashiro has a plant in a glass jar without soil. She keeps it near the windowsill and sprays it with water. Do you think it will survive? Explain why or why not.

Criteria For Success:
  1. Identify if the plant will survive or not.
  2. Explain why.
  3. Explain how plants make food (photosynthesis).

An invasive species is an organism that is brought to or comes to a new (for them) ecosystem where the species did not live before. Since they are new to the ecosystem, they can disrupt the balance of the organisms that already live there.
Now, we are going to read about an ecosystem where there is a problem with an invasive species.

Directions:
  • Click on the link below to open the book. Read pages 30-33.
  • https://learning.amplify.com/books/9781943228560/#page=32
  • As you read, pay attention to what the problem is and why it exists in this ecosystem.
1

What are 2 native animals and 2 plants that live in this swamp ecosystem? (Animals and plants that are native to the Florida swamp and belong there!)

1

According to the text how did pythons, which are an invasive species, end up in the swamp?

1

Check For Understanding
Look at the food web on pages 32 and 33. Pythons do not eat alligators according to this food web. So why are pythons causing problems for the alligators in the swamp ecosystem?

Invasive Species 2: Cane Toads

Cane Toads -- How did they arrive?


For Australia, the grim story began in the sugar cane plantations of Puerto Rico, which had imported giant toads from South America to eat the insects that were devouring the sugar cane plants.

Word spread of the successes of these bug-catching amphibians and by the 1930s, the cane toads were being sent around the world. In 1935, 101 toads arrived in Far North Queensland in areas including Cairns and Innisfail, before being bred in captivity. They were released to hunt and kill cane-destroying insects on Australia's north-east coast.
1

Cane toads are an invasive (not native) species in Australia. Where were they brought from and why?

3
Looking at the food web above besides the insects that were destroying the sugar cane plants, what else did the cane toads eat? Fill in the blanks below.

_______ _______ _______
1

Look at the food web again. Think about what is in the food web, and what is not. Why did the population (number) of cane toads grow and grow and grow?

Cane Toad



Caiman


1

Why don’t the native animals eat all of the cane toads?

1

In parts of Asia, where the cane toads are naturally found (their native land), cane toads are eaten by caimans (an organism similar to crocodiles and alligators). Should Australians go to Asia, collect some caimans, and release them into the wild in Australia so they eat the cane toads? Explain.

Independent Practice
1

In 2019, the marsh grass got destroyed by a flood. What do you think happened to the shrew, hawk, and snake populations?

Write a scientific argument to explain your answer.

Claim: The shrew, hawk, and snake populations started to _____________ because ______________.

Evidence: In the food web, it shows ______________

Reasoning: This means ______________