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STUDENT BOOK

BIOLOGYSCIENCE AND GLOBAL ISSUES:

THIRD EDITION REDESIGNED FOR THE NGSS





Additional SEPUP instructional materials include:
• SEPUP Modules: Grades 6–12
• Science and Sustainability: Course for Grades 9–12
• I ssues and Science: 17 units covering grades 6–8
This material is based upon work supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation under
Grant No. ESI 0352453. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in
this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
For photo and illustration credits, see pages Z-15–Z-18 of the Student Book, which constitute an
extension of this copyright page. For data sources, see the list of references in the Teacher Edition for
each activity.
The preferred citation format for this book is SEPUP. (2023). Science and Global Issues: Biology, Third
Edition Redesigned for the NGSS (Student Edition). The Lawrence Hall of Science, University of
California, Berkeley.
Student Edition
Third Edition | Redesigned for the NGSS
© 2023 The Regents of the University of California
ISBN: 978-1-63093-716-4
v1
SGI-B3SB
Print Number: 01
Print Year: 2022

Developed by Published by

Berkeley, CA 94720-5200 17 Colt Court
www.sepuplhs.org Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
www.lab-aids.com

Acknowledgments

SCIENCE AND GLOBAL ISSUES:BIOLOGY PROJECT
Ben Koo, SEPUP Director

Wendy Jackson, Project Coordinator

Kelly Grindstaff, Field Test Coordinator

SCIENCE AND GLOBAL ISSUES:BIOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Janet Bellantoni Timothy Hurt

Maia Binding Wendy Jackson

Kelly Grindstaff Ben Koo

Manisha Hariani Barbara Nagle

UNIT AUTHORS (Listed Alphabetically)

Sustainability : Changing Human Impact

Maia Binding and Manisha Hariani

Ecology: Living on Earth

Maia Binding and Wendy Jackson

Cells: Improving Global Health

Manisha Hariani, Ben Koo, and Barbara Nagle

Genetics: Feeding the World

Maia Binding and Nicole Shea

Evolution: Managing Change

Wendy Jackson and Nicole Shea

PRODUCTION

Project and Production Coordinator for Lab‑Aids: Hethyr Kreger
Teacher Edition Layout and Composition: Kristine Rappa
Student Book Layout and Composition, Illustrations and Photo Research:

Seventeenth Street Studios
Copyediting: Jennifer Davis‑Kay
Cover Design: Natalie Mitchell

v

SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

CONTENT AND SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
We thank our scientific reviewers who provided valuable expert review of
our new NGSS‑redesigned third edition materials. We also would like to
acknowledge the content and scientific reviewers of our previous editions
of Science and Global Issues. Their reviews contributed significantly to
improving the previous editions of the course, which helped lay the
groundwork for the redesign.

THIRD EDITION REVIEWERS Genetics: Feeding the World

Ecology: Living on Earth Nancy Johnson, Ph.D., J.D.,
Biotechnology Group, Mueting Raasch
Nicola Smith, Ph.D., Changing Oceans Group, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans
and Fisheries, University of British Evolution: Managing Change
Columbia, Vancouver, British Winter Beckles, Ph.D., Department of
Columbia
Biology, University of Miami, Miami,
Cells: Improving Global Health Florida

Sundeep K. Gupta, M.D., M.P.H.,
D.T.M.T.H., Department of Family and
Community Medicine, University of
California, San Francisco,
San Francisco, California

Tsai‑Ching Hsi, Department of
Molecular and Cell Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Berkeley,
California

vi

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREVIOUS EDITION REVIEWERS Cell Biology: World Health

Sustainability Jennifer Chua, Ph.D., National
Institute of Health/National Institute
Brent Boscarino, Ph.D., Department of of Child Health and Human
Natural Resources, Cornell University, Development, Bethesda, Maryland
Ithaca, New York
Raquel Gomes, Ph.D., iGEM,
Marianne Krasny, Ph.D., Department University of California, San Francisco,
of Natural Resources, Cornell California
University, Ithaca, New York
Jonathan Knight, Ph.D., Department
Jasquelin Peña, Department of Civil of Biology, San Francisco State
and Environmental Engineering, University, San Francisco, California
University of California, Berkeley,
Berkeley, California Genetics: Feeding the World

Mark Spencer, Ph.D., Department April Blakeslee, Ph.D., Marine
of Environmental Science and Invasions Ecology Lab, Smithsonian
Policy Management, University Environmental Research Center,
of California, Berkeley, Edgewater, Maryland
Berkeley, California
Andrew Kramer, Ph.D., Odum School
Ecology: Living on Earth of Ecology, University of Georgia,
Athens, Georgia
Brent Boscarino, Ph.D., Department
of Natural Resources, Cornell Sonal Singhal, Department of
University, Ithaca, New York Integrative Biology, University
of California, Berkeley,
Greg Goldsmith, Department of Berkeley, California
Integrative Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, Evolution: Maintaining Biodiversity
Berkeley, California
Kefyn Catley, Ph.D., Department of
Alan Shabel, Department of Integrative Biology, Western Carolina University,
Biology, University of California, Cullowhee, North Carolina
Berkeley,
Berkeley, California Nicholas J. Matzke, Department
of Integrative Biology, University
Brody Sandel, Department of of California, Berkeley,
Integrative Biology, University Berkeley, California
of California, Berkeley,
Berkeley, California

vii

SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

FIELD TEST CENTERS
The classroom is SEPUP’s laboratory for development. We are extremely
appreciative of the center directors and teachers who field-tested the first
and second editions of the course (listed on the next page). Since then,
Science and Global Issues: Biology has been used in thousands of classrooms
across the United States. This third edition, redesigned for the NGSS, is
based on what we learned from teachers and students in those classrooms.
It includes new data and information, so the issues included in the course
remain fresh and up to date. We are extremely grateful to the following
teachers, and their students and schools, for their significant contributions
during the field-testing of this third edition.

iowa ohio

Dawn Posekany, Solon High School, Heather Fischer, Dublin Coffman
Solon High School, Dublin

louisiana Donna Parker, Dublin Coffman
High School, Dublin
Kim Holmes, Sulphur High School,
Sulphur washington

new york Virginia Rehberg, Wilson High
School, Tacoma
Heather Gerber, Hutchinson Central
Tech High School, Buffalo

rhode island

Melissa Johnson, Cumberland High
School, Cumberland

Tara Maloney, Cumberland High
School, Cumberland

Rachel Roberge, Scituate High
School, North Scituate

viii

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

PREVIOUS EDITION FIELD TEST CENTERS

regional center, iowa new york, new york
Phyllis Anderson and Christopher Marc Siciliano, Center Director

Soldat, Center Directors Jared Fox, Leah McConaughey,
Patrick Whelton
Anthony Brack, Jason Cochrane,
Dawn Posekany tucker, georgia
Lisa Martin-Hansen, Center Director
regional center, western new york
Kathaleen Burke and Tammy Martin, Jeb Fox, Kelly Voss

Center Directors

Elizabeth Brunn, Nathan Kahler, wake county, north carolina
Christen LaBruna, Heather Michael Tally, Center Director
Maciewjeski, Julie Sek, Susan Wade
Jennifer Morrison, Tracey Myer,
baltimore, maryland Tina Robinette, Rebecca Townsend,
Keely Brelsford, Center Director Susanne Turley
Dana Johnson, Aubrey Melton
whittier, california
boulder valley, colorado Tara Barnhart, Center Director
Kristin Donley, Center Director
Jeff Varney

Eliza Bicknell, Martina Kastengren, independent
Kelly Ksiazek,
Alberto Real Alameda, California:
Patricia Williamson

dublin, ohio Floyd, Kentucky: Angela King
Donna Parker, Center Director
Hartford, Connecticut:
Chuck Crawford, Henry Lee, Heather Angela Kumm
Moore, Becky Saylor
Hickory, North Carolina:
grand rapids, michigan Linda Culpepper
William Smith, Center Director
Oakland, California: Sam Tsitrin
Jackie Billingsley, Abby Velie
Parkersburg, West Virginia:
Nathan Alfred

los angeles, california
Tammy Bird, Center Director

Brandie Borges, Elisa de la Pena-Nagle

ix



A Letter to Science and Global Issues: Biology Students

Take a moment to look through this book. What connections are there
between the content and your everyday life? This science program will
ask you to think about issues at the intersection of science and society.
You will discuss and analyze personal, local, and global issues that require
an application of relevant scientific evidence. You’ll use this evidence to
make the best decisions about what should be done for your own and
other communities—for example, how to prioritize global health chal-
lenges. You will consider how to grow crops to improve the sustainability
of food production, and debate the trade-offs of different approaches to
managing fisheries. You’ll consider the relevance of sustainability and
what roles you and others can play in decision-making processes.
The activities in this course provide many opportunities for you to figure
out why or how something happens. You’ll begin by asking questions and
using evidence to help you create explanations and models. Only some of
what you will learn can be seen by looking through these pages because
SEPUP is an active learning program. Through hands-on laboratories,
investigations, readings, simulations, scientific debates, role plays, and
projects, you will develop your thinking about science and how it relates
to many important issues affecting your life.
How do we know that this is a good way for you to learn? Many activities
in this book were tested by hundreds of students and their teachers. Their
feedback, and what we know from research about how people develop an
understanding of science, has informed the SEPUP approach. We believe
the SEPUP program will show you that learning science is important,
enjoyable, and relevant to your life.
SEPUP team

xi



Contents IS-3
IS-9
SUSTAINABILITY: Changing Human Impact IS-15
IS-21
Learning Sequence 1
  1 Changing Landscapes A-2
  2 Measuring Human Impact
 3 Our Global Community A-5
 4 Sustaining the Commons A-13
A-21
ECOLOGY: Living on Earth
A-27
Unit Issue A-37
Learning Sequence 1 A-21
  1 Establishing a Baseline A-41
  2 Population Growth Models A-49
 3 Factors Affecting Population Size A-53
Learning Sequence 2 A-59
  4 Scaling up Ecosystems A-67
 5 Patterns of Biological Diversity
Learning Sequence 3 A-75
  6 Producers and Consumers A-81

  7 The Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Shuffle xiii
 8 Life in the Dark
  9 Modeling Energy Flow in Ecosystems
10 Crossing Ecosystem Boundaries
Learning Sequence 4
11 Ecosystems and the Carbon Cycle

12 Rebalancing the Equation?

SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Learning Sequence 5

13 Ecosystems at the Tipping Point A-85

14 The Great Lakes Ecosystem A-91

15 Is Aquaculture a Solution? A-95

16 Sustainable Fisheries Case Studies A-102

17 Making Sustainable Fisheries Decisions A-117

Unit Summary A-121

CELLS: Improving Global Health

Unit Issue B-2

Learning Sequence 1

  1 Survival Needs B-5

  2 Everyday Hydration B-9

Learning Sequence 2

 3 Homeostasis Disrupted B-21

  4 Body Systems in Balance B-35

 5 Evidence of Disease B-39

  6 Specialized Cells and Disease B-45

  7 Homeostasis and Medical Treatment B-51

 8 Feedback Loops in Humans B-59

Learning Sequence 3

  9 Global Nutrition B-63

10 Burning Calories B-71

11 How Plants Make Food B-77

12 Photosynthesis and the Environment B-81

13 Feeding the World’s Population B-87

14 Investigating Cellular Respiration B-97

15 Energy for Life B-103

16 Matter for Cells B-113

xiv

CONTENTS

Learning Sequence 1 (continued)

17 Designing Solutions: World Health B-119

Unit Summary B-125

GENETICS: Feeding the World

Unit Issue C-2

Learning Sequence 1

  1 Superweeds! Where Did They Come From? C-5

  2 Creating Genetically Modified Bacteria C-9

  3 Mitosis and Asexual Reproduction C-21

  4 Breeding Corn C-27

 5 Breeding Corn for Two Traits C-37

  6 How Did This Happen? Class Consensus C-47

Learning Sequence 2

  7 Protein Synthesis: Transcription and Translation C-51

  8 Cell Differentiation and Gene Expression C-59

  9 Explaining Herbicide Resistanc e in Weeds C-67

10 Molecular Mechanisms of Herbicide Resistance C-71

11 Meiosis and Sexual Reproduction C-77

12 Genes and Chromosomes C-83

13 Which Plant is Genetically Modified? C-91

Learning Sequence 3

14 Genetically Modified Organisms and Biodiversity C-97

15 Benefits and Trade-Offs of Genetically Modified Organisms C-101

16 Evaluating Genetically Modified Organisms C-113

17 Alternatives to GMO Farming C-123

Unit Summary C-129

xv

SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

EVOLUTION: Managing Change

Unit Issue D-2

Learning Sequence 1

  1 Changing Environments D-7

  2 Increasing Temperatures D-17

  3 Social Behavior D-23

  4 Genetic Variation and Change D-29

 5 Is It Evolution? D-35

  6 Increasing Timescales D-39

Learning Sequence 2

  7 Extinction D-43

  8 The Anthropocene D-47

  9 Evidence and the Theory of Evolution D-55

10 Applying Evolutionary Thinking D-63

Learning Sequence 3

11 The Evolution of Resistance D-73

12 Emerging Diseases D-81

13 Shrinking Salmon D-91

14 Mitigating Change D-95

15 Human Impact on Evolution D-103

Unit Summary D-107

APPENDICES X-1
GLOSSARY Y-1
INDEX Z-1
CREDITS Z-15

xvi

S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

CHANGING
HUMAN
IMPACT



1 Changing Landscapes

j o r da n a n d h e r g r a n d fat h e r , r o b e rt , often go for long walks.

One day, they noticed a large construction site on the edge of town.

“I remember when that lot was wooded,” said Grandpa Robert. “My friends
and I used to climb trees there.”

“That’s funny,” said Jordan. “I’ve only ever seen it covered in tall grass.
Whenever we came this way, my friends and I would pull the long stalks and
try to make grass whistles. I wonder what it’s going to be now?”

“I don’t know,” said her grandfather, “but it doesn’t look like there will be
very many trees or much grass on it.”

Investigative Phenomenon

Observe and compare the two satellite maps map similar to or different from where you
in Figure 1.1, which show environmental live? What questions do you have about
changes in the same region over a period of how and why landscapes change over time?
18 years. What do you think could explain
those changes? These maps illustrate just one of many ways
to examine human effects on the
Now think about changes in the landscape environment. In this activity, you will
you may have observed in your own examine maps that show changes in tree
community. How is the area shown on the cover in different parts of the world.

FIGURE 1.1: 
Land Use Over Time

2001 2019 Water
Forest
Developed land
Crops
Pasture

IS-3

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Guiding Question

How are human actions changing the environment over time?

Materials

FOR EACH GROUP OF FOUR STUDENTS

4 Tree Cover Loss cards
4 Primary Cause cards

FOR EACH STUDENT

Student Sheet 1.1, “Observing Change in Different Parts of the World”

Procedure

1. Your group will receive four Tree Cover Loss cards with maps of four
geographic areas.

• Brazil
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Northwestern U.S. (Washington, Oregon, Idaho)
• Southeastern U.S. (Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia,

Florida)
Figure 1.2 shows each geographic area. Tree cover refers to both

planted trees and natural forests. Tree cover loss is the removal of trees
due to human or natural causes.
Note: The scale used on each card is not the same. The approximate
area of each location is shown on the card in kilometers squared (km2).
2. Each person in your group should start with one card. Compare the two
maps on the card. What do you notice? Record your observations on
Student Sheet 1.1, “Observing Change in Different Parts of the World.”
3. Switch your Tree Cover Loss card with another person in your group.
Repeat Step 2 until you have examined all four cards.

IS-4

CHANGING LANDSCAPES ACTIVITY 1

Northwestern
U.S

Southeastern
U.S

Brazil

Democratic
Republic

of the Congo

FIGURE 1.2:  World Map

4. With your group, brainstorm a list of questions about what you
SFiGgIuSrue:stotSahGbienIsaSerbureisvsltitetSydoB.f Be prepared to share your observations and questions with
1t_h2e class.
My r5ia.d PYroouSregmriobuolpd w11ill receive four Primary Cause cards that correspond to
the four areas you have been examining. The maps on these cards
show five primary causes for tree cover loss, which are listed in Table
1.1. Record the primary causes of tree cover loss in different regions on
Student Sheet 1.1.

TABLE 1.1:  Primary Causes of Tree Cover Loss

CAUSE Maps5 EXPLANATION
CommoMdaps1ity-dMraipsv2 en (redMaps3 )Maps4 Due to large-scale commercial
agriculture*
Shifting agriculture (yellow ) c39 m7 y12 k0 Due to small- and medium-scale
c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0 c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 agriculture*
Temporary loss from harvesting trees
Forestry (green ) for lumber
Temporary loss from wildfires
Wildfire (brown ) )
Urbanization (purple Due to expansion of towns and cities

* Includes both farming and animal rearing.

IS-5

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES/BIOLOGY

6. Each person in your group should examine the map on one Primary
Cause card. On Student Sheet 1.1, describe what is happening in the
region on your card.

7. Switch cards with another person in your group. Repeat Step 6 until
you have examined all four cards.

8. Discuss these questions with your group:

• What role, if any, do you think people play in tree cover loss from

wildfires?

• Based on what you’ve learned in this activity, how are human

actions changing the environment?

• How does this impact vary from one region to another?
• Do you think this impact is permanent or temporary? Explain your

reasoning.
9. Sustainability is the ability to meet a community’s present needs

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs. Scientists often refer to actions as sustainable or
unsustainable.
a. Discuss with your group what you think is meant by sustainable and

unsustainable.
Hint: Consider what types of land use you think are sustainable or

unsustainable.
b. Brainstorm one or more examples of sustainable and unsustainable

human actions.
10. Work with your class to develop a definition of these terms. Share and

discuss examples of each.

IS-6

CHANGING LANDSCAPES ACTIVITY 1

Build Understanding

1. Think about what you know and have observed about land use in your
local community. How does land use in your local community
compare to what you observed in this activity?

2. In your own words, define what it means to be sustainable. Provide an
example with your definition.

3. Issue connection: A study examined changes in the use of more than
50,000 acres of agricultural land in Ohio over a 10-year period. Results
of that study are shown in Table 1.2.

TABLE 1.2:  Changes in Central Ohio Agricultural Land Use Over
a 10-Year Period

LAND USE TOTAL ACRES
Change to residential housing 27,756
Change to commercial use  3,084
Change to industrial use   433
No change (remains agricultural) 20,981

a. What conclusions can you make from this data?
b. What questions do you have about the data?
c. How sustainable is this change in land use over the long term?

Explain your reasoning.

4. Different periods of geological time have names, such as the Jurassic
Period (201–145 million years ago). Geologists are proposing to refer to
the current geological age as the Anthropocene. “Anthro-” is Greek for
“human,” and this name was selected to describe the dominant influence
of humans on the climate and the environment. Do you agree with
describing the current geological age as the Anthropocene? Why or why
not? Support your answer with at least two pieces of evidence.

KEY SCIENTIFIC TERMS

sustainable / sustainability

IS-7

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Extension

What is happening with tree cover where you live? How is this similar to or
different from what you observed in this activity? You can find the latest
data on tree cover loss and gain and many other environmental changes for
different regions of the world (including your own) at the Global Forest
Watch website. Visit the SEPUP SGI Third Edition page of the SEPUP
website at www.sepuplhs.org/high/sgi-third-edition and follow the links
to learn more about tree cover around the world.

IS-8

2 Measuring Human Impact

d e c i s i o n s a b o u t l a n d u s e c a n affect weather, climate, species
biodiversity, and many other factors. One part of the environment that may
be affected by human actions is soil. Healthy soil is a mixture of water, air,
minerals, and organic matter. In soil, organic matter consists of plant and
animal materials that are in the process of decomposing. This organic
matter produces most of the nutrients that plants need to grow.
In this activity, you will test different soils to determine how organic matter
in the soil may vary from one area to another. Remember the scenario of
Grandpa Robert and Jordan in the previous activity? The samples you will
examine represent soil near Grandpa Robert and Jordan’s home. Soil Sample
A is from under hedges planted in front of a nearby apartment building. Soil
Sample B is from the abandoned lot seen by Grandpa Robert and Jordan on
their walk. How and why do you think these samples may vary?

FIGURE 2.1:  Farming can magnify the natural process of erosion and increase topsoil loss. Farmers use a vari-
ety of methods, such as crop rotation, to reduce topsoil loss.

IS-9

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Guiding Question

In what ways can human effects on the environment be
measured?

Materials

FOR EACH GROUP OF FOUR STUDENTS

2 SEPUP trays
3 plastic tubes
3 tube caps
30-mL graduated cup
50-mL graduated cylinder
sample of Soil A
sample of Soil B
bottle of Organic Matter testing solution
pipette
Organic Matter Color Chart
90 mL of water
additional cup of water
clock with a second hand
piece of white paper
masking tape
paper towels

FOR EACH STUDENT

pair of chemical splash goggles
lab apron or lab coat

SAFETY

Wear chemical splash goggles when working with chemicals.
Do not touch the mixture or bring it into contact with your
eyes or mouth. The Organic Matter testing solution may stain clothes
and skin. Make sure to rinse off any solution that touches your skin or
clothes with plenty of water. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap
and water after completing the procedure.

IS-10

MEASURING HUMAN IMPACT ACTIVITY 2

Procedure

1. Use the masking tape to label the caps of the plastic tubes A, B, and C.
Tube C will act as a control, a standard of comparison for verifying
your results.

2. Stand the tubes in cups A, B, and C of the first SEPUP tray, being sure
to match the letter of the tube with the letter of the cup.

3. Create a data table in your science notebook to record your results for
tubes A, B, and C. For each tube, you will need to record the final color
of the liquid and what that tells you about the amount of organic
matter in the sample.

4. Use the 30-mL graduated cup to measure 10 milliliters (mL) of Soil A,
and carefully pour it into the tube in cup A.

5. Use the 30-mL graduated cup to measure 10 mL of Soil B, and carefully
pour it into the tube in cup B.

6. Use the 50-mL graduated cylinder to add 30 mL of water to each tube.
7. Use the 50-mL graduated cylinder to add 5 mL of Organic Matter

(OM) testing solution to each tube.

TABLE 2.1:  Soil Testing Procedure Summary, Steps 4–7

TUBE IN CUP SOIL WATER OM TESTING SOLUTION
A 10 mL of Soil A 30 mL 5 mL
B 10 mL of Soil B 30 mL 5 mL
5 mL
C None 30 mL

8. Cap each tube with the correctly labeled cap.
9. Gently shake each tube for 2 minutes.
Hint: Accurate timing is an important part of getting accurate and

measurable results.
10. Put the tubes back in the tray and leave them for another 2 minutes.

Observe the changes that occur during this time, and record them in
your table.
11. To prevent splattering, put a paper towel over the cap of tube A and
carefully remove the cap. Remove the caps from tubes B and C in the
same way.
12. Use the pipette to remove 2 mL of liquid from tube A, and put it into
cup A of the second SEPUP tray.
Hint: Avoid getting soil in the pipette! It will clog the pipette and make
testing difficult. Remove liquid only.

IS-11

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

13. Rinse the pipette in a cup of water by placing the tip in the water and
repeatedly squeezing it a few times. Squeeze out any water still in the
pipette before going on to the next step.

14. Repeat Steps 12 and 13 for tubes B and C. (It’s okay to use the same cup
of water for rinsing). Be sure to place the liquid from tube B into cup B
and the liquid from tube C in cup C of the second SEPUP tray.

15. Place the SEPUP tray containing the liquids onto a piece of white paper.
Compare the color in each cup to the Organic Matter Color Chart.

16. Record your results in your data table. Follow your teacher’s directions
for cleanup.

Build Understanding

1. Review your laboratory results.
a. What was the purpose of Tube C?
b. Which soil, A or B, had more organic matter?
c. Based on your results, what effect can human actions have on the
quality of soil?

Hint: Reread the introduction to review the area represented by each
soil sample.

2. One way to measure the amount of organic matter in soil is by
measuring soil carbon. Look at Table 2.2, which shows how soil carbon
is affected by different land uses.

TABLE 2.2:  Effect of Land Use Changes on Soil Carbon

LAND USE CHANGE CHANGE IN SOIL CARBON
Crop to secondary forest +53%
Crop to pasture +19%
Crop to planted trees +18%

Native forest to pasture  +8%

Pasture to planted trees –10%

Native forest to planted trees –13%

Native forest to crop –42%
Pasture to crop –59%

IS-12

MEASURING HUMAN IMPACT ACTIVITY 2

a. What do you think are the long-term impacts of these changes?
Support your answer with evidence from Table 2.2.

b. What effect do you think these changes will have on the
sustainability of land use? Consider what you have learned from
both this activity and Activity 1.

3. Issue connection: You may be familiar with the evergreen or
deciduous forests of North America. Mangrove forests are another
type of forest found along the southern coast of the United States, from
Florida to Texas. These forests grow in areas where the ocean meets
land, and they protect land and homes near the coast from cyclones,
storm surges, coastal erosion, and strong winds. They also serve as a
habitat for birds and fish, and the young of many species take shelter
there as they grow. In some areas, local people use these forests as a
source of wood and other plants.

Damage to or loss of mangrove forests contributes to tree cover loss.
One major cause of this loss is shrimp farming. Shrimp farmers
clear-cut the forests to construct artificial ponds where shrimp can
be raised and harvested. Farmers must pipe in both fresh water and
seawater to the ponds. Diverting water in this way further damages
the mangroves because they are unable to spread their seeds through
seawater to reproduce.

Examine Figure 2.2, which shows changes in mangrove cover along the
coast of Myanmar, in southeast Asia, over a period of more than 30
years. The green island in the center of the map is a wildlife sanctuary.

1978
1989
2000
2011

FIGURE 2.2:  Mangrove Cover in Southwestern Myanmar Over 33 Years

IS-13

SGI 3e Sustainability
Figure: SGI Sust SB 2_02

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

a. What changes do you observe over time?
b. What might be the environmental, economic, and social effects of

this human action?
c. How might these effects be measured?
4. Reread the scenario at the beginning of Activity 1. Then read the
following information and write your response.
After their walk, Grandpa Robert got a flyer in the mail asking him to
vote on zoning changes that would affect the lot he and Jordan saw.
(Zoning laws determine what is permitted to happen with land in a
particular area.) If the zoning is changed, apartments or houses could be
built on the lot. If the zoning does not change, the land will have to be
maintained as an open space and could be used to create a park.
Do you think Grandpa Robert should vote to change the zoning law?
Why or why not? Support your answer with evidence, and identify the
trade-offs of your decision. A trade-off is an exchange of one outcome
for another—giving up something that is a benefit or advantage in
exchange for something that may be more desirable.

KEY SCIENTIFIC TERMS

control
sustainability / sustainable
trade-off

Extension: Engineering Connection

Farmers use a variety of methods to improve soil quality, such as crop
rotation and the application of manure or chemical fertilizers. Today,
technological tools are also being used to create new approaches. What
solutions could you engineer to address the loss of soil quality?
Brainstorm engineering ideas to address soil quality, either individually
or with your group. Then find out what technological solutions farmers
are currently using by visiting the SEPUP SGI Third Edition website at
www.sepuplhs.org/high/sgi-third-edition and following the links.
Compare your ideas to what is happening in the field: In what ways are
your ideas similar or different?

IS-14

3 Our Global Community

h u m a n ac t i o n s c a n a f f e c t g lo b a l sustainability in many ways.
Analyzing these effects often involves thinking about three aspects of
sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. As shown in Figure
3.1, aspects of these pillars overlap.

society

economy environment

sustainability

FIGURE 3.1:  The Three Pillars of Sustainability: Economic, Social, and Environmental

• The economic pillar includes information on how the action affects the

economy. Does the action create or take away jobs? What is the financial
cost or benefit of implementing the action?

• The social pillar considSGerI sSuinstfaoinrmabailtitiyon about how the action affects
social aspects of the acfofFMmeicgymturitrauhed:nePSirlGtooyI.cSSDaeumlsoctieboSsBomli3dtm_p11u1rontietyctinorteimrmpsroovfefohoudman
health? How does it
availability or human interactions?

• The environmental pillar considers the effects on the environment.

Does it protect or endanger critical ecosystems? Does it create or reduce
pollution?

c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

Maps1 Maps2 Maps3 Maps4 Maps5

c0 m30 y70 k0 c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0 c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0

c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

IS-15

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Data on the three pillars of sustainability can be gathered by analyzing a
variety of indicators. An indicator is an observation, measurement, or
calculation that shows the presence or state of a condition or trend. For
example, a country’s birth and death rates can indicate whether the
population is increasing or decreasing.
What types of indicators do you think would be useful when considering
global sustainability? How do these indicators relate to the three pillars of
sustainability? In this activity, you will examine a number of indicators that
show how resource use varies from one part of the world to another.

Guiding Question

How can indicators be used to inform decisions about global
sustainability?

Materials

FOR EACH PAIR OF STUDENTS

set of colored pencils

FOR EACH STUDENT

Student Sheet 3.1, “Indicator Data”
calculator

Procedure

Part A: World Data

1. With your class, read through the definitions in Table 3.1: Indicator
Key. Discuss any questions you have about what the definitions mean.
(You will use the “Icon” and “Color” columns later in the activity.)

IS-16

OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITY 3

TABLE 3.1:  Indicator Key

I N D I C ATO R ICON COLOR DEFINITION

Population No color The estimated number of people, based on
population census and assumptions of future
trends (e.g., average birth and death rates per
year)

3340 SEPUP SGI sustain TG indicators game The amount of land that is able to be farmed
Figure: 3340SustainTG indicator_population or used for pasture (unit: square kilometers, or
Agricultural land Agenda MedCond 9/9 Red km2)

Carbon dioxide Orange The estimated amount of carbon dioxide
(CO2) emissions released into the atmosphere due to fossil fuel
Energy use SGI 3e Sustainability burning and the manufacture of cement (unit:
Fish species, Figure: SGI Sust SB 3_3 metric tons)
threatened MyriadPro Semibold 11

3340 SEPUP SGI Sustain TG indicators game Yellow The amount of primary energy consumed,
Figure: 3340SustainTG indicator_CO2 emissions rev. on average, by each person in a year (unit:
Agenda MedCond 9/9 kilograms of oil per person)

3340 SEPUP SGI Sustain TG indicators game The number of fish species classified as
Figure: 3340SustainTG indicator_energy consumption
Agenda MedCond 9/9

c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

Maps1 Maps2 Maps3 Maps4 Maps5 Blue ewnhdicahngtheerered,isvunlonteernabolueg, ohrdraatrae,tooresvpaeluciaetseforc0m30y70k0

c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0 c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0

their status

c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

Gross Domestic Green The value of all goods and services produced
Product (GDP) SGI 3e Sustainability within a nation in a given year (unit: U.S.
dollars)
Figure: SGI Sust SB 3_6
Myria33d4P0rSoEPSUPeSmGIibSuostladin1TG1indicators game
Mobile cellular Figure: 3340SustainTG indicator_GDP Purple The number of subscriptions to a public
subscriptions mobile telephone service that provides access
Agenda MedCond 9/9 to the global telephone network

SGI 3e Sustainability The total amount of land dedicated to the
Figure: SGI Sust SB 3_8 protection and maintenance of biological
MyriadPro Semibold 11 diversity and natural resources, including
nature reserves, wilderness areas, and national
Protected area Black parks (unit: 1,000 km2)
Undernutrition
c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

M3a3ps410 SEPUPMSaGpsI2sustain TMGapsin3 dicatorsMgapasm4 e Maps5 Note: The data are for land only.

Figure: 3340SMaups1stainTMaGps2 indicMaapst3or_pMraops4tecteMdapsa5 rea c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

Agenda MedCond 9/9 The number of people who consume less thanc15m10y0kc805 m3c905my5700y3k00ko c15mc900ym904k03 y94 k0

Brownc0 m30 y70 k0c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c60 m30 y100 k0 c50c6m0 m2300y1y070 k50 k0c50 m20 y7c51k50 m9c105 my990 0y90kk00 c90cm9550y4m0 k50 5 y4c309 mk70y12 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0 the minimum dietary energy requirement

c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

3340 SEPUP SGI sustain TG indicators game
Figure: 3340SustainTG indicator_malnutrition
c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

2. With your groupA,gecndaatMeegdCoonrdi9z/9e these indicators based on the three pillars
of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. Record the
groupings and explain each choice in your science notebook.

3. Share your groupings with the class, as directed by your teacher.

4. Use Figure 3.2 to identify the seven geographical regions of the world
that this activity focuses on.

IS-17

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Europe and
Central Asia

North Middle East East Asia
America and North Africa and Paci c
South
Latin America Sub-Saharan Asia
and Africa

Caribbean

FIGURE 3.2:  Regions of the World

5. Look for geographic region signs around your classroom. Your teacher
has designated seven locations in the classroom, one for each region of
the wSoGrIl3de, Swusittahinaabsiilgitny at each location labeling the region.

6. LookFMaigtyurtihraede:PSirGnoIdSSeicumastitboSoBrld3p_1i1e11chart of the global population that your teacher
projects. In this activity, your class represents the entire population of
the world. Groups of students will represent each region, and the
number of students in each group will correspond to the percentage of
the population for that region. Use the percentages on the pie chart to
calculate how many people in your class will represent each region.

7. With your class, determine which students will be assigned to eachMaps1
c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

Maps2 Maps3 Maps4 Maps5

region, based on your calculations. Move to stand near the sign for
your region.c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0
c0 m30 y70 k0 c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0

8. With your class, choose the next indicator to examine.

c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

9. Have one representative from your region retrieve the appropriate pie
piece from the world population graph.

10. Use the percentage on your pie piece to fill in the data for that indicator
on Student Sheet 3.1, “Indicator Data.” Use the colored pencil
designated for that indicator in the “Color” column on the Indicator
Key in Table 3.1.

11. Repeat Steps 8–10 until your region has data for all nine indicators.

IS-18

OUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY ACTIVITY 3

12. As directed by your teacher, move around the room and review the
data for each region by examining the indicator pie pieces each group
has collected. Compare the following:

• The amount of each indicator relative to other regions
• How the indicators relate to the population of each region

13. Return to your original group of four. Discuss what you noticed while
comparing the data and what questions you still have about the data.
Record your observations and the main points of your discussion in
your science notebook.

Part B: Per Capita Data

14. Using the data for your region and the world data in Table 3.2,
calculate both the gross domestic product (GDP) in U.S. dollars and
the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per capita (per person) for your
region. A sample calculation is shown following the table.

TABLE 3.2:  World Data* WORLD TOTAL
I N D I C ATO R 7,673,533,972
Population (number of people)
Gross domestic product (in U.S. dollars) $87,673,300,000,000
CO2 emissions (in metric tons per year) 34,605,193,345

* As of 2019

Sample calculation for North America:

GDP per capita = (world total GDP) x (North America % of world total GDP)
(world total population) x (North America % of world population)

= $87,673,300,000,000 x 0.26
7,673,533,972 people x 0.048

= $63,327/person

Record your answers in your science notebook.

15. Share the per capita data for GDP and CO2 emissions for your region
with the class.

16. Think about the data the other groups shared, and discuss the
following questions with your class:

• How do perceptions of data change when it is presented differently?

IS-19

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

• Select one region of the world. Compare the region’s population to

one or more regional indicators, such as agricultural land and
undernutrition. Is current land use in that region sustainable?
Why or why not?

• Examine other global regions and their indicator data. Which

regions appear to be the most sustainable? Explain your reasoning.

• Based on the indicator data, in which region of the world are

humans having the greatest impact on the environment? Do you
think this impact is sustainable?

• What other information could help you evaluate a region’s

sustainability?

Build Understanding

1. Indicator levels can vary over time, and can show different patterns over
time. For example, agricultural land worldwide has generally increased
on a global scale since 2003. However, it has declined steeply in the
Middle East & North Africa region during the same time period.

Use this example to explain why it is important to look at data from
different perspectives.

2. In this activity, you analyzed data for a range of indicators. Why do you
think it is important to look at a range of indicators when you are
considering sustainability?

3. Give an example of one potentially useful indicator that could be used
to evaluate human effects on the environment but was not presented in
this activity. Explain what it could suggest about sustainability in terms
of all three pillars.

KEY SCIENTIFIC TERMS

economic pillar
environmental pillar
indicator
pillars of sustainability
social pillar
sustainable / sustainability

IS-20

4 Sustaining the Commons

b lu e l a k e ( a f i c t i t i o u s l a k e ) is huge, and full of different types of

fish. Commercial fishers at Blue Lake catch two species of fish in particular:
orange fish and yellow fish. They use these fish to feed their families, and
sell them to earn money. The orange fish is more common and not worth
as much money as the less common yellow fish. What will happen to the
fish of Blue Lake over time depends on choices made by the local
community.
In the previous activity, you investigated how some global resources are
distributed in the world. A common resource is a shared supply of
something that can be used when needed. All living organisms, including
people, need resources to survive, including air, water, and nutrients. In the
Blue Lake scenario, fish are a common resource that people in the
community use both for food and to earn money. In this activity, you’ll use
a model to investigate how human use of this common resource can affect
its sustainability.

FIGURE 4.1:  Humans rely
on many common
resources, such as fish or
other food, for survival.

IS-21

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Guiding Question

How do human choices affect sustainability?

Materials

FOR EACH GROUP OF FOUR STUDENTS

130 foam fish (100 orange and 30 yellow)
set of 12 Character cards
loop of string
timer that beeps

FOR EACH STUDENT

Student Sheet 4.1, “Sustaining the Commons”
pair of chopsticks
cup

Procedure

Part A: “Sustaining the Commons” Game A

1. With your group, discuss the situation at Blue Lake. Which community
members do you think would be concerned about Blue Lake? What do
you think they would be concerned about? Would everyone’s concerns
be the same? Would everyone’s ideas for solutions be the same? What
might they do as a community to address these differing concerns?

2. Spread out the loop of string in the center of your table. Place 25
orange fish and 5 yellow fish inside the loop of string. This represents
Blue Lake and the fish in it. Each person will use a set of chopsticks to
fish in the lake.

3. Read the rules of the game:
a. Each person is assigned a fishing limit by picking a Character card
from the cards labeled Game A. These are your instructions for
Game A. Tell your group what is on your card so that everyone
knows everyone else’s fishing limits.
b. You’ll have 15 seconds for each round, and you will play four
rounds per game. Each person can take as many fish as your fishing
limit allows within the 15-second round, but:

• You must use the chopsticks to pick them up.
• You must put each fish in your cup.
• You may pick up just one fish at a time.

IS-22

SUSTAINING THE COMMONS ACTIVITY 4
IS-23
c. You need to catch at least two fish to continue fishing in the next
round. If you catch more than two, give yourself one dollar per
extra orange fish and two dollars per extra yellow fish in the final
column of Student Sheet 4.1, “Sustaining the Commons.”

d. Every fish left in the lake at the end of each round will reproduce
one more fish of the same color, thus adding an equal number of
fish to the existing population.

e. During any round of any game, your teacher may hand your group
an Incident card. Follow the instructions on that card for the next
full round.

4. Begin playing. At the end of each round, record your data for Game A
on the Student Sheet and then empty your cup onto the table (not into
the lake). Calculate how many fish to return to the lake for the next
round. After four rounds, stop, and finish recording the data for Game
A on your Student Sheet, including the end result.

5. In your group, discuss what happened in Game A. Be sure to answer
the following questions and to record your responses in your science
notebook:

• How did your fishing limit affect your behavior?
• How did your fishing limit affect what happened to the resources of

Blue Lake?

• How did each individual person do? Did each individual fisher

catch enough fish to survive? Did each individual fisher earn extra
money?

• What is the condition of the overall fishing community? Did

everyone in the community catch enough to survive? Did everyone
in the community earn some extra money?

• What is the condition of the resources of Blue Lake? Are there fish

left? Will there be enough for the next generation? Is this fishing
practice sustainable?

• Sometimes, people work together to share a common resource.

Other times, individuals focus on making the best choices for
themselves. What did you observe happening in Game A? Explain
how this behavior affected the fish of Blue Lake.

Part B: “Sustaining the Commons” Game B

6. Return all your fish from the previous game to the fish bag. Return
all your fish from the previous game to the extra fish supply (not to
the lake).

7. Follow the same rules as for Game A. Repeat Steps 3–5, using the
Character cards for Game B.

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

FIGURE 4.2: 
Fishing is an important
source of food, income,
and recreation through-
out the world.

Part C: “Sustaining the Commons” Game C

8. Play the game again, using the Character Cards for Game C.

Part D: “Sustaining the Commons” Game D and Wrap-Up

9. Thus far you have modeled three scenarios: no fishing limits, fishing
limits for some people, and strict fishing limits for all. In your group,
come up with a fourth scenario that you would like to test. Consider
your discussion about the Blue Lake community from Step 1 as you
come up with a new scenario to model. Decide what each fisher’s catch
limit will be, and predict what you think will happen to the resources of
Blue Lake. Record your plan and your predictions in your science
notebook.

10. Play four rounds according to your plan, following the same rules as
before (only the fishing limits may change), and starting with the same
number of fish. Continue to record your data on Student Sheet 4.1
after each round.

11. In your group, discuss what happened in Game D. Be sure to answer
the following questions and to record your responses in your science
notebook:

• Did the results of Game D match your predictions?
• Did your new fishing limits change the results of this game as

compared to Games A, B, and C?

• How did each person do? Did each fisher catch enough fish to

survive? Did each fisher earn extra money?

IS-24

SUSTAINING THE COMMONS ACTIVITY 4

• What is the condition of the overall fishing community? Did

everyone catch enough to survive? Did everyone earn some extra
money?

• What is the condition of the resources of Blue Lake? Are there fish

left? Will there be enough for the next generation? Is this fishing
practice sustainable?

• What trade-offs are involved in setting fishing limits in Blue Lake?

Build Understanding

1. In the model for this activity, how were the human actions determined
in the different games? What else might affect people’s actions in regard
to common resource use in a situation like the Blue Lake scenario?

2. Explain the scenario and fishing limits your group chose for Game D,
what trade-offs you considered for your scenario and how you decided
to address them, your results, and how your scenario affected the
sustainability of the fish populations in Blue Lake.

3. How do you think this model compares to a real-life situation where
human actions impact a common resource? Explain your reasoning.

4. Issue connection: The model in this activity demonstrates fishing
from a lake as an example of how humans might work together to
create a sustainable solution for common resource use. What is
another situation where people could work together to create a
sustainable solution for common resource use? Describe your
example, what resource is involved, and what is being or could be done
to help make the effect of the human action sustainable.

5. Ecosystems provide many resources that humans rely on. In this
activity, you modeled the use of fish as a resource. In Activity 1, you
investigated how humans use land as a resource. How do you think the
choices that humans make about how they use resources now will
affect the environment in the future? Use examples from Activity 1
and/or this activity to explain your reasoning.

6. Think about the community you live in.
a. What is one example of a common resource in your community?
What benefits does it provide to the community?
b. Imagine that you are asked to be in charge of a committee that
manages your community’s common resource. What information
would you need to consider? What trade-offs might be involved in
managing this resource?

IS-25

SUSTAINABILITY     SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

KEY SCIENTIFIC TERMS

common resource
trade-off

IS-26

ECOLOGY

LIVING
on EARTH

ECOLOGY

Unit Issue

t h r o u g h o u t t h e wo r l d , p e o p l e , co m m u n i t i e s , and countries

rely on natural resources for many uses, including food. The ways that
people use these resources can affect their sustainability. Fish and
other seafood are important natural resources that are a source of
food for many people throughout the world. Approximately 3 billion
people, 40% of the world’s population, rely on seafood as a major
source of protein, and roughly 10% of the world’s population depend
on commercial fisheries for their livelihood. A fishery is an industry
that catches or raises a specific type of fish or shellfish to be
processed or sold. Commercial fisheries throughout the world are
valued at over $400 billion a year. Fisheries also include
recreational fishing (fishing for fun or for competition), which
contributed over $39 billion to the United States GDP in 2019.

FIGURE A: Fisheries are an important source
of income and food throughout the world.

The sustainability of fisheries—whether for personal consumption,
income, or recreation—is critical to the livelihoods and nutrition of
billions of people. It is important that fisheries stakeholders work
together to determine what it means for a fishery to be sustainable.
Would it matter to you if a fish species, like salmon, could no longer
be fished? What kinds of information and data are needed to manage
a fishery sustainably?

The graph in Figure B shows wild saltwater fish stocks (populations that
are harvested by people) over time. What do you observe about the
data, and what can you infer? What questions does this graph generate?

In this unit, you will explore the issue of sustainable fisheries as an
example of how humans both rely and have an impact on natural
resources. You will analyze and interpret data on factors that affect
the abundance and distribution of different populations of
organisms. You will use mathematical reasoning and models to help
you find patterns of stability and change in ecosystems. You will
explore the flow of energy and the cycling of matter in ecosystems,
and how disruptions to these processes affect ecosystems at different
scales. You will explore the impact of humans on ecosystems and
evaluate plans to minimize negative effects. Ultimately, you will
develop a plan for making a commercial fishery more sustainable.

FIGURE B: Sustainability of fisheries over time

100 Over shed
90
Percentage 80 Fully shed
70
60 Under shed
50
40 1979 1984 1994 1999 2004 2009 2013
30
20
10

0
1974

LabAids SEPUP SGI Ecology 3e A-3
Figure: Eco3e SB 01_1
MyriadPro Reg 9.5/11



1 Establishing a Baseline

Investigative Phenomenon

In Sustainability: Changing Human Impact, What do you notice about the data in these
you began exploring how people rely on graphs? What questions do you have about
natural resources for many reasons. What the data and these populations of
kinds of data can be used to determine organisms? Which graphs appear to show
human impacts on populations of other sustainable populations?
organisms?
FIGURE 1.1: Yellow Perch, Lake Michigan, Wisconsin
The following graphs show population data
for four different kinds of organisms. Some
of them are harvested for food, some are
protected and cannot be harvested, and
some are neither harvested nor protected.

FIGURE 1.2: Yellow perch are harvested
commercially and recreationally throughout
the Great Lakes for human consumption.

Population estimates of yellow perch in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan

25

20

Millions of perch 15

10

5

0
1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Year

A-5

LabAids SEPUP SGI Ecology 3e
Figure: Eco3e SB 01_01
MyriadPro Reg 9.5/11

ECOLOGY SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Density of purple sea urchins in Sonoma County

800

Number of sea urchins per 600m2 600

400

200

FIGURE 1.3: Purple Sea Urchins, 0 2010 2012 2014 2016
Sonoma County, California 2008

Year

FIGURE 1.4: Purple sea urchins are found along the Pacific
Coast of Canada, the United States, and Mexico and are
harvested primarily for export to Japan, where they are eaten
in sushi and many other dishes.

LabAids SEPUP SGI Ecology 3e
Figure: Eco3e SB 01_03
MyriadPro Reg 9.5/11

Barro Colorado tree population

Tree abundance in a 50-hectare plot on Barro Colorado Island
500

Number of trees 400

Source: https://www.reefcheck.org/california-039-s-kelp-forests
300 -undergoing-massive-changes/

200

c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

Maps1 Maps2 Maps3 Maps4 Maps5

100

c0 m30 y70 k0 c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0 c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0

FIGURE 1.5: Trees, Barro 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015
Colorado Island, Panama 1980

Year c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90

FIGURE 1.6: This population of trees is on a 50-hectare plot on Barro
Colorado Island, Panama. The island was created in 1913 when the
Panama Canal was dug and the area was flooded. It is now a protected
aThreeFLaiatgrwbeuAiertseihd:csaEacSnroeEns3PoeeUtaPSbrcBeShG0hs1Iat_Ear0cvto5eiolsontegodyp.3eerated by the Smithsonian Institution.

MyriadPro Reg 9.5/11

A-6

ESTABLISHING A BASELINE ACTIVITY 1

FIGURE 1.7: Song Sparrow,
Mandarte Island, Canada

FIGURE 1.8: Song sparrows are a
common bird found throughout
200 Canada and the United States. The

population on Mandarte Island in
British Columbia has been studied
Number of song sparrows 160 continually since 1975. The birds
are not protected, but they are not
hunted by humans. They do have
120 natural predators on the island.

80

40

0 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995
1977
Year

In Sustainability, you began exploring how people affect the environment
around them. To fully understand the effects of our actions on the
environment, we need to be able to accurately monitor the environment
apnrodvtFLMihdiagyebeurAivdraeiadda:rPtsEiarocSooEouR3PnseeUpgsPSpoB9Sep.G05cu1/Ii1lf_Eai10ccto7ipoloongpsyuo3lfeaotirognasn,issommsewoitfhwinhiict.hMmoanyitboerirnegsocuarnces that
people depend on. If we monitor a resource such as a fishery, what kinds of
data do we need in order to understand what is happening in the fishery?
What patterns would we see in the data if the fishery is sustainable—or not
sustainable? In this learning sequence, you will explore questions raised by
athwe iidSnoevnergastnSiggpeaatroirvfoegwrpsohowentnhMopamnadtetnaerortnens:IsoDlavineffdretriemS_noatenu.drpc_Yoet:hopheuut_telpwaps:ht/i/ielwomlwnberwsea.lgorietifysn_eoaorbrfc_gyhaag_mnantaiesot.umndreatesl/_plcipunaobpngliucalhattaioiovnn/e_1b19o1tt1le8n6e9c_kIm_emviidgernactieon
methods used by scientists to monitor_dfroifmfe_mreonletcutlyarp_mesarokefrspopulations.

Guiding Question c7 m0 y0 k9 c0 m42 y92 k0 c100 m0 y20 k70 c25 m0 y15 k90

HowMaps1 doMaps2 scientistsMaps3Maps4estiMmaps5 ate population size?

c0 m30 y70 k0 c0 m43 y94 k0 c15 m10 y0 k85 c95 m50 y30 ko c15 m90 y90 k0

c60 m30 y100 k0 c50 m20 y75 k0 c15 m90 y90 k0 c90 m55 y40 k0 c39 m7 y12 k0

c15 m10 y0 k85 c80 m0 y0 k55 c12 m7 y0 k0 c0 m0 y0 k6 c25 m0 y15 k90 A-7

ECOLOGY SCIENCE & GLOBAL ISSUES: BIOLOGY

Materials

FOR EACH PAIR OF STUDENTS EXAMINING THE QUADRAT SAMPLING METHOD

2 number cubes (one white, one blue)
calculator

FOR EACH PAIR OF STUDENTS EXAMINING THE MARK-AND-RECAPTURE
SAMPLING METHOD

bag of hexagonal plastic disks
timer
masking tape
calculator

FOR EACH STUDENT

Student Sheet 1.1, “Population Estimation Methods”

Procedure

1. Follow your teacher’s instructions as they introduce estimation as a
method for determining population size.

2. Decide which pair in your group will investigate the quadrat sampling
method and which will investigate the mark-and-recapture sampling
method. Follow the instructions below for the method you and your
partner are investigating.

Quadrat Sampling Method

Many Indigenous cultures have relied on wild plants
for generations, both as food and for cultural
practices. The wild rice from the genus Zizania is an
important resource for many native cultures in North
America, including the Ojibwe people in modern-day
Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Wild rice, or
“manoomin” in the Ojibwe language, is threatened by
climate change, habitat loss, and other factors.
Imagine that you are a scientist who is studying an
area where there is a wild rice recovery project under
way. Counting each rice plant is not a practical
method to track the population. Instead, you will use
the quadrat sampling method to estimate the size of
the wild rice population.

FIGURE 1.9: Quadrats can be
used to estimate populations
in many ecosystems.

A-8