Essential Idea:
Human activities impact
on ecosystem function
Understandings:
- Introduced alien species can escape into local ecosystems and become invasive
- Competitive exclusion and the absence of predators can lead to reduction in the numbers of endemic species when alien species become invasive
- Pollutants become concentrated in the tissues of organisms at higher trophic levels by biomagnification
- Macroplastic and microplastic debris has accumulated in marine environments
Applications:
- Study of the introduction of cane toads in Australia and one other local example of the introduction of an alien species
- Discussion of the trade-off between control of the malarial parasite and DDT pollution
- Case study of the impact of marine plastic debris on Laysan albatrosses and one other named example
Skills:
- Analysis of data illustrating the causes and consequences of biomagnification
- Evaluation of eradication programmes and biological control as measures to reduce the impact of alien species