Climate Change Lesson 10 : Ecosystem Relationships

Students will be able to:

1. Identify the climatic habitat of common Michigan trees.

2. Describe the range of common trees at the present time and in the year 2100.

3. Describe how climate change may impact tree ranges.

4. Describe how selected tree species might have been impacted by land use change.

Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations

Grade 6-7 Science:

• Predict how changes in one population might affect other populations based upon their relationships in the food web. L.EC.06.23

• Identify the factors in an ecosystem that influence changes in population size. L.EC.06.32

HS Earth Science:

• Based on evidence of observable changes in recent history and climate change models, explain the consequences of warmer oceans (including the results of increased evaporation, shoreline and estuarine impacts, oceanic algae growth, and coral bleaching) and changing climatic zones (including the adaptive capacity of the biosphere). E5.4D

HS Biology:

• Explain how stability is challenged by changing physical, chemical, and environmental conditions as well as the presence of disease agents. B2.3C

• Describe common ecological relationships between and among species and their environments (competition, territory, carrying capacity, natural balance, population, dependence, survival, and other biotic and abiotic factors). L3.p2B

• List the possible causes and consequences of global warming. B3.4e

Climate Literacy Principles

• #3. Life on earth depends on, is shaped by, and affects climate.

• #5. Our understanding of the climate system is improved through observations, theoretical studies, and modeling.

• #6. Human activities are impacting the climate system.

• #7. Climate change will have consequences for the earth system and human lives.