Swift Fox Reintroduction Dilemma
Scenario
You are a conservation biologist (ecologist) who has been assigned the contract to research the reintroduction of the Swift Fox into Alberta. The Provincial Government is not convinced that this reintroduction is worth spending money on. If the fox had become extinct in Alberta before, why should the species be able to survive now?
Biology, and especially the discipline of ecology, is a science that requires a lot of research into a wide variety of areas. This is because the web of life is very complicated and interwoven. It is your job to determine as many of the variables as possible that contribute to the success or failure of the Swift Fox to survive in present day Alberta.
Your research should bring you to a conclusion as to whether the reintroduction of the Swift Fox into Alberta will be successful or unsuccessful and your decision will be supported in your final report.
The concept map below indicates some of the questions that need to be researched and answered for a report to be informative and effective.
This research will be demonstrated in three forms
- a written report
- an oral presentation
- a class letter to the Calgary Herald.
The calendar (and list on the right) is available to you so that you can keep track of your work and be on time. You are asked to drop your jot notes and draft into a drop box that will be explained to you on January 28. Please make sure that you keep up with your research and the activities that are also expected of you during this unit.
Submissions will be "dropped" into the following drop boxes in Mrs. Nowlan's assignments folder.
The Drop Boxes for your notes are:
- Ecosystems
- Webs
- Cycles
- Outline
- Draft
- Evaluation
January 27 - Introduction, discusion of basic needs.
January 28 - Introduction of Inspiration, planning of tasks, start research. Bring letter home to parents to be signed.
January 29: Research: focus on
ecosystems, habitats, basic needs, adaptation.
January 30 - Hand in letter. Research - focus on ecosystem, habitat, basic needs, adaptation - drop jot notes into drop box called "ecosystems" .
January 31 - Discussion on ecosystems, niches, energy and food webs. Continue research.
February 4- Continue research. Drop jot notes into "webs" drop box. Web diagram done in Inspiration.
February 5- Plan and set up mealworm ecosystem lab (page 29). Continue project.
February 6- Observe mealworms. Draw up concept map or outline of written project. Drop into "outline" drop box.
February 7- Discussion and research on cycles. Continue project. Drop jot notes into "cycles" drop box.
February 8- Start Waste reduction Diary (page 34). - due February 25. Work on first draft of report.
February 11- First Draft due in drop box called "Draft" - work on Waste Reduction and Diary. Discussion on man's effect on ecosystems. Complete peer evaluation rubric for written project - drop into "evaluation" drop box.
February 12- work on Waste Reduction and Diary. Complete observations and activity on mealworm. Hand in written assignment. Discussion on composting. Start preparing oral presentation.
February 19 - Flexiday - first draft returned. Work on corrections. Bring in Waste Reducation Diary - complete activity page 34 and hand in.
February 20- Flexiday - work on corrections or oral report. Activity page 32, "Putting your foot in your mouth".
NOTE: timeline may be changed due to teacher labour dispute
March 4 - Hand in Final Report. Group letter to Calgary Herald about the plight of the Swift Fox.
March 5: Review of concepts
March 6: Unit test
NOTE: Oral presentations have been cancelled.
March 7 - Report's return and sent to parents - to be returned to teacher by March 11.
Once all the information has been gathered, it is now the job of the biologist to convey this information to the authorities. The Alberta government has decided not to support the project any longer, but you need some income. Convey your research and express you opinion through one of the following:
- A report to the Canadian Wildlife Fund to attempt to get further funds for the reintroduction of the Swift Fox. You will then present your information to the CWF executives to convince them of the need for funding..
- A report to the Canadian Geographic Magazine to let the public know about the plight of the Swift Fox. An oral presentation is required to convince the CGM editors of the value of your column.
- An interview with At Discovery.ca (this may be videotaped or presented live). A written report is needed to convince the station manager of the value of your documentary.
- A website through Alberta, Naturally that informs the public and expresses your decision as a conservation biologist (this may be done through PowerPoint). An oral report is needed to convince the Alberta Heritage Community Foundation that your information is valuable enough to add to their web site.
- Swift Fox
- Swift Fox in Alberta
- Sustainable resource
- Swift Fox at the Zoo (click on "Conservation Research" and "Swift Fox")
- Cochrane Ecological Institute : re-introduction of the Swift Fox
- Reintroduction difficulties
- Adaptation
- Wildlife Web 1
- Wildlife Web 2
- Decomposers and Scavengers
- Carbon Cycle
- Water Cycle
- Food Chains
- Ecosystems
- Alberta Ecosystems (look for Flash animations of Alberta natural regions)
- Energy Flow in Ecosystems
- Endangered Species in Canada
- Alberta Endangered Species
- The Extinction files
Introduction:
- Who is the Swift fox?
- Description
- Habitat
- Ecosystem
- Place in food chain (niche)
Environmental limitations
- Why did the Swift Fox become extinct?
- Fur trade
- Agriculture in prairie
- Removal of food
- Pollution (poison)
- What difference to the ecosystem did the disappearance of the Swift fox make?
Reintroduction
- Why the reintroduction?
- When did it start?
- Who started and financed it?
Success
- What has changed in the environment to make
this a reasonable project?
- Has the reintroduction been successful so far?
- How is the success measured?
Conclusion
- In your view, is conservation necessary? Use an example of extinction in Alberta to support your view.
- In your opinion, will the reintroduction be successful?
- How can we, as individuals, help in conservation
of our environment?
Rubrics
- Concept Rubric
- Research Rubric - remember to include bibliography of all resources used.
- Presentation Rubric + peer evaluation
The Questions
Objectives
Students will learn about:
- Ecosystems and basic needs
- Interactions among living things
- Human impact on ecosystems
The flow of energy and the cycling of matter can be traced and interpreted in ecosystems.
- Ecosystems have interactions among producers, consumers and decomposers
- Food chains demonstrated the flow of energy in ecosystems
- Food webs
- Matter cycles in ecosystems
Changes can be observed and monitored in ecosystems
- Investigation and distribution of living things in an environment
- Interactions and changes occur in ecosystems
- Succession: how ecosystems change over time