Natural, Social and Cultural Sciences
Conservation of the ecosystems in The Basque Country
PresentationExplore, create, publish and share Activity 1. The importance of the ecosystemsActivity 2. Human action on ecosystemsActivity 3. Conservation actionsResources
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© Itinerarium 2011

DIRECTOR: Narcís Vives
COLLABORATORS:

  • EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Antonio Cara
  • CONTENT MANAGERS: Mª Cristina Pérez and Magdalena Garzón
  • COORDINATOR OF THE NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE AREAS: Elena Anguera
  • TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Maite Vílchez
  • AUTHOR: Lorena Natalia Inzillo, María Inés Rodríguez and Elena Anguera
  • CORRECTORS OF STYLE CASTELLANO VERSION: Anna Betriu and Joan Martín
  • BASQUE ADAPTATION: Bakun itzulpen eta argitalpen zerbitzuak, s.l.
  • ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Sarah Richards
  • LAYOUT: Maite Vílchez and Miquel Gordillo

Presentation

Conservation of the ecosystems in The Basque Country

We are going on a journey to some of the ecosystems in The Basque Country to find out about their characteristics and the importance of their conservation. Are you ready?

The adventure begins!

Photo of Izki National Park.

http://www.porlibre.com/EUSKADI/izki.htm


The importance of the ecosystems


Human action on ecosystems


Conservation action

RESOURCES

Explore, create, publish and share

Activity 1. The importance of the ecosystems

La Concha beach, Donostia, the effects of the fuel from The Prestige February 2003.

Photo taken from Revista de Investigación Marina, 2009, 12

Edition: Unidad de Investigación Marina de Tecnalia

Very few totally “natural” environments exist on the planet today. The presence of man has modified them in some way. Sometimes more, sometimes less, human actions have influenced ecosystems. For this reason, it is fundamental to understand the effects and consequences of these actions.

When we talk about an ecosystem we mean a group of living things and the relationships between them and the environment in which they live. We differentiate between the biotic factors and the abiotic factors:

  • Biotic factors: are all the components with life in an ecosystem. Tree bark, hair, tree trunks, egg shells, etc. which once had life or formed part of a living thing are also considered biotic factors.

  • Abiotic factors: are the inert components that have never had life and will never have life.

Remember: an ecosystem, aquatic, terrestrial or mixed, is a group of biotic and abiotic factors and the relationships (of all kinds) between them.

In this DS we will look at a concept map and see how it helps to clarify ideas. We will use a concept map to understand the variety of factors and relationships in an ecosystem.

What is a concept map?

You have probably seen a concept map but didn’t know what it was called. It is a diagram which helps us to understand a central idea of a theme and its relation to other ideas.

The words in a circle or box are key words and the lines and arrows indicate the relationship between them.

Source: http://homoludens.zobyhost.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/MapaConceptual.gif

Activity

Look at the following example. It shows the components of a terrestrial ecosystem:

Click on the image to enlarge it

Imagine that a barbecue causes a fire and destroys a forest and the trees are eliminated from this concept map. Some birds would not have trees to nest in and the squirrels would not have acorns. So the birds would have to find a new place to live and the squirrels would starve to death or move away to another place. The absence of these birds and squirrels would modify the lives of other living things which relate to them, forming a chain reaction. So, a modification of one component affects the rest.

Try to imagine the modification of some of the key words in the concept map and check the possible consequences. Look at the map on the digital board and find the following relationships:

a) Worm → eaten by birds → nest in trees.

b) Squirrels → eat acorns → fruits of Holm oak treep>

c) Water → consumed by all living things.

For each of these relationships, consider the following disasters and try to work out the possible consequences. Follow the example. Your teacher will write your answers on the board.

Use the last line of the table (d) to invent a disaster and its consequences.

Disaster

Possible consequence

a) A fire destroys all the trees

The birds migrate because there are no trees to nest in and the worms reproduce in excess because of the absence of the birds to eat them.

b) The acorns cannot be eaten because of an excess of pesticides.

c) The water is polluted by a nearby factory

d)

Remember: the CONCEPT MAP is a graphic organizer which connects concepts and shows the relationship between them. In this case it shows the complexity of ecosystems.

Activity 2. Human action on ecosystems

To do this activity divide into groups. Each group will work on a different ecosystem.

  • Aquatic: formed by plants and animals that live in water. Aquatic ecosystems can vary in size from an ocean to a puddle. There are salt water and fresh water aquatic ecosystems.

  • Terrestrial: zones or regions where organisms (animals, plants, etc.) live and develop on the earth or in the air around a terrestrial area.

  • Wetlands: flat areas of land with shallow subterranean water which rises to the surface to form lagoons and swamps at different times.

Activity

Read the text that corresponds to your group. Then, talk about it and with the indications in the file make notes about human action on the ecosystem.

Think about… where humans interfered, modified or what other biotic and abiotic components were altered by their actions

The texts and instructions for each group are:

Look at this concept map which shows the factors in an ecosystem and some of the basic relationships between them.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

The misuse of natural resources and ecological disasters damage the balance of any ecosystem and sooner or later the consequences can be devastating.

  • Imagine an escape of toxic gas contaminating the air in a region of the planet. Look at the same map and observe the red highlighted factors which would be affected by a toxic gas leak:

Click on the image to enlarge it.

We can go further and say that the remains of contaminated plants and animals could contaminate the soil and water, which would be the end of our imaginary ecosystem.

Now it’s your turn.

  • Each text describes the changes or contamination of a different ecosystem.

To help you, use the program Cmap Tool, specially designed to create concept maps,

If it is not installed in your computer or you need help to use it, look at this tutorial: Cmap for pupils.

Sharing the information

The time has come to show your work to the rest of the class.

Project your concept map onto the digital board and talk about the text you read and the modifications. Don’t forget to explain the modifications. The rest of the class will evaluate you with a co-evaluation table.

Activity 3. Conservation actions

Now we understand the importance ecosystems and how easy it is to damage their balance. It is time to see what our institutions are doing about preserving them and also what we can do to help.

The common spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia)is an endangered European species and amongst the 100 species of aquatic birds which hibernate in Urdaibai.

http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/
r49-12872/es/contenidos/informacion/
expo_urdaibai/es_expo/estuario.html

Our way of life is leading to the extinction of natural resources and the degradation of the environment. Have you heard about sustainable development What does it mean?

When we talk about sustainable development we mean changing our habits to preserve the planet for the future generations.

It means, for example, not using our natural resources as if they were never ending, but keeping in mind their capacity to regenerate.

The Basque Environment Strategy for Sustainable Development states five aims and five necessary conditions which are priority for the Basque Public Administration.

ENVIRONMENTAL AIMS

1. Guarantee clean and healthy air, water and earth.

2. Responsible management of natural resources and waste.

3. Protection of nature and biodiversity: a unique value to promote.

4. Territorial balance and mobility: a common focus.

5. Limit the influence of climate change.

NECESSARY CONDITIONS

1. Integrate the environmental variable in other policies.

2. Improve existing legislation and its application.

3. Encourage the market to act in favour of the environment.

4. Enable and empower citizens, administrations and businesses to act towards greater sustainability.

5. Investigation, technical innovation and development in environmental material.

Information obtained from: http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/r49-5832/es/contenidos/plan_programa_proyecto/eavds_pma/es_9688/pma_2002_2006.html

Are only the institutions responsible for looking after our planet? We sometimes think that the actions of individuals or small groups are insignificant but…Did you know that a button battery is capable of contaminating all the water needed by a family of four for one year? Or that a litre of oil can affect 1.000 litres of water?

Each one of us generates 300 kg of rubbish a year, on average. Managing waste and trying to reduce it is a job for all of us.

Activity

Maybe you have heard of the 3 Rs rule, proposed by the ecological organization Greenpeace.

  • Reduce

  • Reuse

  • Recycle

We suggest that your school and the rest of the community should know about this and the importance of putting it into practise.

Each group will take an R. Your objective is to create a poster to explain your R and ideas to put it into practise. The poster can be displayed on the school notice board to inform the rest of the pupils, teachers and families. You can also make a digital poster using Glogster http://edu.glogster.com and share it in a blog or e-mail.

If you use Glogster, you can access this tutorial and discover the steps to create your digital poster.

  • In groups, download this document: “The 3 Rs rule”. You will find a list of web pages to look for information and a table to help organize the data you collect.

  • When you have the information in the table, design your poster. Remember that it needs to attract attention, have a clear message and be easy to understand. Different letter types, drawings and photos can make the poster more attractive but don’t abuse this idea. The important thing is to make people aware and give recommendations for the conservation of ecosystems. Remember this objective!

All our efforts, even the smallest and simple ones offer a grain of sand for the conservation of ecosystems.

To find out more

Reuse can be fun! Check out this animation by Ainhoa Ferragud Basagoiti in which the characters and scenery are made from card, plastic and other materials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncRjYs4ii7A&feature=player_embedded

Resources

In this sequence you will be using these IT resources:

A program to create concept maps

  • Cmap Tools:

http://cmap.ihmc.us

General information

  • All the Natural Parks in The Basque Country :

http://parquesnaturales.consumer.es/documentos/pais_vasco/index.php

  • Basque Environment Strategy for Sustainable Development 2002-2020 – Environment Program 2002-2006:

http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/r49-5832/es/contenidos/plan_programa_proyecto/eavds_pma/es_9688/pma_2002_2006.html

Recycling

  • Good environmental practises in the home. Guide for the management of domestic waste:

http://www.redcicla.com/Articulos/guiaambiental.pdf

  • Eroski consumer:

http://escuelas.consumer.es/web/es/aprender_a_aprender/tarea14/2.php

  • Basque Youth web site. Look after the environment!:

http://www.gazteaukera.euskadi.net/r58-2247/es/contenidos/informacion/ecologia_cuidalo/es_1684/cuidalo_c.html

  • Consumadrid:

http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?cid=1109182823423&genericoDetalleID=1142403922409&pagename=PortalConsumo%2FPage%2FPTCO_ReportajesDetalleTemplate

  • Urban and municipal waste. Department of the Environment, Territorial Planning, Agriculture and Fishing:

http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/r49-4892/es/contenidos/informacion/resid_municipales/es_1001/residuos_muni_c.html

Videos
  • Documentaries and videos of nature areas in Spain:

http://waste.ideal.es/videosdenaturaleza.htm

  • Animation by Ainhoa Ferragud Basagoiti with characters and scenery made from card, plastic and other materials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncRjYs4ii7A&feature=player_embedded

Help

Help
  1. Menu on left(in order from top to bottom): first page of the sequence (home) icon, letter size icon, print icon, help icon and index icon.
  2. Name of material and title of the section bar.
  3. Arrows for navigation (next or last page).
  4. Space for content.

Autor:

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

Resources

In this sequence you will be using these IT resources:

A program to create concept maps

  • Cmap Tools:

http://cmap.ihmc.us

General information

  • All the Natural Parks in The Basque Country :

http://parquesnaturales.consumer.es/documentos/pais_vasco/index.php

  • Basque Environment Strategy for Sustainable Development 2002-2020 – Environment Program 2002-2006:

http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/r49-5832/es/contenidos/plan_programa_proyecto/eavds_pma/es_9688/pma_2002_2006.html

Recycling

  • Good environmental practises in the home. Guide for the management of domestic waste:

http://www.redcicla.com/Articulos/guiaambiental.pdf

  • Eroski consumer:

http://escuelas.consumer.es/web/es/aprender_a_aprender/tarea14/2.php

  • Basque Youth web site. Look after the environment!:

http://www.gazteaukera.euskadi.net/r58-2247/es/contenidos/informacion/ecologia_cuidalo/es_1684/cuidalo_c.html

  • Consumadrid:

http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?cid=1109182823423&genericoDetalleID=1142403922409&pagename=PortalConsumo%2FPage%2FPTCO_ReportajesDetalleTemplate

  • Urban and municipal waste. Department of the Environment, Territorial Planning, Agriculture and Fishing:

http://www.ingurumena.ejgv.euskadi.net/r49-4892/es/contenidos/informacion/resid_municipales/es_1001/residuos_muni_c.html

Videos
  • Documentaries and videos of nature areas in Spain:

http://waste.ideal.es/videosdenaturaleza.htm

  • Animation by Ainhoa Ferragud Basagoiti with characters and scenery made from card, plastic and other materials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncRjYs4ii7A&feature=player_embedded

Cmap for pupils

Click on the image to start:

Cmap for pupils

Click on the image to start:

Glogster for pupils

Click on the image to start:

Cmap for pupils

Click on the image to start: